In September 2009, the total business climate indicator decreased by 0.4 percentage points from August to reach 8.6 per cent, its lowest level since October 2008, when the business climate in Bulgaria started to deteriorate, the National Statistical Institute reported on Saturday. The decline was due mainly to construction and services.

Compared to August, September did not see an appreciable change in the business climate in industry. In September the composite business climate indicator increased by 0.3 percentage points, month on month, due to slightly better expectations about the industrial enterprises' business situation over the next six months (a 0.6 percentage points rise of the balance indicator).

In September 2009, the composite business climate indicator in construction decreased by 2.3 percentage points from August, due to a worsening of managers' evaluations about the present business situation of their enterprises. Construction activity is assessed as decreased, and the expectations of the next three months are accordingly pessimistic (a 7.1 percentage points drop of the balance indicator).

The composite business climate indicator in retail trade increased by 1.0 percentage points in September from August. The September business poll found a certain improvement in managers' expectations about the business situation over the next six months.

In September the composite business climate indicator in the services sector decreased for a second month running (by 1.5 percentage points) after several months of steady improvement. The worsening was due both to managers' lowered evaluations of the present business situation of their enterprises and to more moderate expectations about the next six months.

Source: BTA