site.btaBulgaria's Trade Balance Records Deficit of EUR 481.1 Mln for March - Central Bank

Bulgaria's trade balance for March recorded a deficit of EUR 481.1 million, compared to a deficit of EUR 133.6 million in the same month last year, the Bulgarian National Bank reported here on Friday. In the first quarter of the year, the trade balance recorded a deficit of EUR 1.5116 billion (1.5% of GDP) against a deficit of EUR 692.9 million (0.7% of GDP) for the same period last year.

The exports of goods amounted to EUR 3.679 billion, down EUR 349 million (8.7%) year-on-year. For the January-March period, exports amounted to EUR 10.115 billion (10% of GDP), down EUR 1.154 billion (10.2%) from EUR 11.269 billion (12% of GDP) for the same period in 2023.

In March, imports of goods amounted to some EUR 4.161 billion, down EUR 1.5 million (0.04%) from March 2023 (EUR 4.162 billion). In the first quarter of the year, imports amounted to EUR 11.627 billion (11.5% of GDP), down EUR 335.3 million (2.8%) from the same period in 2023 (EUR 11.962 billion, 12.7% of GDP).

The current and capital account recorded a positive balance of EUR 338.7 million compared with a deficit of EUR 136 million in March 2023. In the first quarter of the year, the current and capital account recorded a positive balance of EUR 525.9 million (0.5% of GDP) compared with a deficit of EUR 190.7 million (0.2%) from the same period last year.

Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria (under the directional principle) grew by EUR 150.6 million in March 2024, compared with an increase of EUR 1.178 billion in March 2023.