Bulgaria Industrial Output Declines for Fifth Consecutive Month

Bulgaria’s industrial production fell 5.4% year over year in August 2026, easing from a 6.8% decline in July but marking a fifth consecutive month of contraction. Output weakened further in investment goods (-21.7% vs. -9.0% in July), intermediate goods (-17.4% vs. -11.1%) and consumer durables (-4.2% vs. -6.0%). Meanwhile, production of consumer non-durables was nearly unchanged (-0.1% vs. -4.9%), while energy output surged 32.3%, accelerating from 9.6% in July. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, industrial production rose 0.7% in August, recovering from a revised 2.9% decline in July.

Bulgaria’s industrial production fell 6.8% year-on-year in July 2026, deepening from a 2.5% decline in June. Manufacturing output contracted (-7.3% vs 1.4% in June), driven mainly by declines in fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment (-29.5%), leather and related products (-25.9%), other transport equipment (-23.3%), textiles (-14.3%), chemicals and chemical products (-11.2%), other non-metallic mineral products (-9.8%), and motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (-9.7%). Mining and quarrying activity also remained weak (-36.1% vs -49.0%). In contrast, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply advanced (16.7% vs 8.7%). By main industrial grouping, output fell in investment goods (-9.1% vs 7.2%) and consumer durables (-7.4% vs 0.1%), while contraction deepened in intermediate goods (-11.3% vs -9.9%). Meanwhile, energy goods accelerated (10.0% vs 5.5%). On a monthly basis, industrial production fell 3.0% in July from a 0.1% drop in June.

Bulgaria's industrial production fell 2.5% year-on-year in June 2026, easing from a 4.8% decline in the previous month. The slowdown in the contraction was largely driven by a rebound in manufacturing output (1.3% vs -3.9% in May), supported by gains in the manufacture of food products (4.6%), beverages (2.2%), and tobacco products (17.8%). In addition, production growth in electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply accelerated (10% vs 8.8%). On the other hand, the downturn in mining and quarrying deepened sharply (-49.1% vs -33%). By main industrial grouping, investment goods output rebounded strongly (7.7% vs -18.2%), and the decline in consumer durables eased (-0.2% vs -12.5%). In contrast, growth in energy goods moderated (6.5% vs 9.1%), while consumer non-durables swung into contraction (-5.9% vs 0.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, industrial production rose 0.4%, recovering from a 0.2% decline in May.