14.02.201807:08:00UTC+00Bulgaria Economic Growth Eases In Q4

Bulgaria's economic growth moderated in the three months ended December, after accelerating in the previous quarter, preliminary figures from the National Statistical Institute showed Wednesday.

Gross domestic product advanced a seasonally adjusted 3.6 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter, slower than the 3.9 percent rise in the third quarter.

In the second quarter of this year, the rate of expansion was 3.7 percent.

On the expenditure side, final consumption expenditure climbed 4.7 percent over the year and gross fixed capital formation rose by 3.2 percent.

Exports increased 2.0 percent and imports surged by 9.4 percent.

On a quarterly basis, GDP expanded 0.8 percent from the third quarter, when it grew by 0.9 percent.

Another report from the statistical office showed that the unemployment rate dropped to 5.6 percent in the fourth quarter from 6.7 percent in the corresponding period last year.