Significant structural shifts across various industrial subsectors characterized the performance of the Bulgarian economy in July. The mining and quarrying industry saw a sharp year-on-year decline of 36.1 percent, while the manufacturing sector experienced a 7.3 percent drop. At the same time, a positive trend was observed in the production and distribution of electricity, heat, and gas, where output increased by 16.7 percent.
Data from the National Statistical Institute show that the total industrial production index contracted by 6.8 percent compared to the same month last year. This marks the fourth consecutive month of a downward trend, following declines of 2.5 percent, 5.3 percent, and 3.8 percent recorded in the previous three months, respectively. Regarding short-term dynamics, preliminary seasonally adjusted figures indicate a 3 percent monthly decline compared to June.
Within the manufacturing sector, when comparing July 2026 to July 2025, significant deviations appear in specific industries:
- Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment: 29.5 percent decline;
- Tanning and dressing of leather; manufacture of footwear and other leather products: 25.9 percent decline;
- Manufacture of transport equipment, excluding motor vehicles: 23.3 percent decline;
- Manufacturing, not elsewhere classified: 20.9 percent decline;
- Manufacture of tobacco products: 50.6 percent increase;
- Manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products: 16.3 percent increase.
The monthly breakdown for the period of July 2026 compared to June 2026 also reveals specific trends. While manufacturing contracted by 4.4 percent, the energy sector (production and distribution of electricity, heat, and gas) and the mining industry performed better, with growth of 5.2 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively. Here is how the main segments in the manufacturing industry changed over the same one-month interval:
- Manufacture of transport equipment, excluding motor vehicles: 27.3 percent decline;
- Manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products: 18.4 percent decline;
- Manufacture of tobacco products: 16.9 percent increase;
- Repair and installation of machinery and equipment: 9.3 percent increase;
- Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations: 8.5 percent increase.