Business climate in Bulgaria shows slight improvement

A regular monthly poll by the National Statistical Institute has found that managers saw the business climate in Bulgaria in April largely unchanged compared with March.

The monthly polls earlier this year had seen slight improvements in the business climate in Bulgaria, after the indicator plunged in the first half of 2020 against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The NSI said on April 28 that of the four sectors polled, the indicators were down in the industry and construction sectors, in retail was the same as in March, while in the service sector, it had increased.

The industry indicator went down by 1.4 percentage points, with managers more reserved in their assessments and expectations about the situation of their businesses.

However, their forecasts about exports and production activity over the next three months were favourable, the NSI said.

The indicator in the construction sector was down by 1.3 percentage points, with managers holding worsened expectations about the next six months.

The indicator in the retail trade was the same as in March, while managers’ forecasts about the next six months were optimistic and their expectations about the volume of sales over the next three months remained favourable.

In the service sector, the indicator was up by 2.3 percentage points. Managers’ expectations about the business situation of their enterprises over the next six months had improved, and they were more optimistic about the demand for services over the next three months.