The Bulgarian National Bank has lowered the base interest rate for the second consecutive month. As of August 1, it stands at 3.53%, down from 3.63% in July. Since the end of 2023, the base interest rate has been gradually falling. From February 2016 to September 2022, the base interest rate was 0.00%. On October 1, 2022, the rate went up to 0.49%.
As of June 30, the net profit of the banking system for 2024 was EUR 0.9 billion, representing a 7.1% increase compared to the first six months of 2023, according to BNB statistics. Over a quarter of the income comes from fees and commissions. Banks earned EUR 1.6 billion from interest on loans in the first half of the year and paid out EUR 290 million in interest on deposits. Bank assets increased by over EUR 1 billion or 1.2% in the first half of 2024. Losses have risen by EUR 46 million to EUR 139 million, representing a 50.1% increase compared to the first six months of 2023.
The Russian state oil company Lukoil has plans to sell its Bulgarian refinery Neftochim based in Burgas on the Black Sea Coast. It is the largest in the Balkans, writes the Financial Times . The deal is expected to be announced by the end of..
Bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Argentina have received a new impetus for development following the visit of an Argentine delegation from the Chaco province to Bulgaria at the beginning of November . High-ranking officials from the..
Employers are contesting the rise of the minimum wage. The Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association announced that they filed a complaint in the Supreme Administrative Court. About 430,000 people in the country work for minimum wage...
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