NSI poll: Business climate in Bulgaria worsened slightly in September

A regular monthly poll by the National Statistical Institute (NSI), the results of which were released on September 30, has found a slight worsening in views of Bulgaria’s business climate.

In September 2024, the total business climate indicator decreased by one percentage point compared with August, as a result of the more unfavourable business climate in the industry sector.

The industry sector composite indicator dropped by 5.2 percentage points, because of managers being more reserved about the business situation.

Managers said that production activity was done and their forecasts about the coming three months had worsened.

The most serious difficulties facing the sector remained the uncertain economic environment and the shortage of labour.

In September, the indicators in the construction and service sectors were largely unchanged compared with August.

However, the retail trade indicator was up by 4.7 percentage points, with managers holding positive expectations about the next six months. Their forecasts about the volume of sales and orders placed with suppliers over the next three months were optimistic.

Previous recent polls by the NSI found a drop in the business climate indicator in December, followed by an improvement in January, sentiment largely unchanged in February and again in March, improving in April and again in May, before declining in June and again in July, followed by an improvement in August.

(Main photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)

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