A regular monthly poll by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) has found a downturn in business sentiment in Bulgaria in July.
The total business climate indicator was down by 1.1 percentage points compared with June, as a result in decreases in the indicators in Bulgaria’s industry and retail trade sectors.
In the industry sector, the indicator was down by one percentage point, with managers reserved about the business situation over the next six months.
While there was something of an improvement in their opinions about the inflow of new orders over the past three months, this was not accompanied by improved expectations about production activity over the coming three months, the NSI said.
The indicator in the retail trade dropped by 5.4 percentage points, with retailers assessments and expectations about the business situation shifting from “better” to “the same”.Their forecasts about the volume of sales and orders placed with suppliers over the next three months remain reserved.
In July, the composite indicator ‘business climate in construction’ was up by 1.8 percentage points, a result of managers being more optimistic about the coming six months.
The indicator in the service sector was largely unchanged compared with June. Managers’ forecasts about both the business situation of the enterprises over the next six months and the demand for services over the next three months are unfavourable, the NSI said.