Among the fears related to Bulgaria’s accession to the euro area, the main concerns are linked with inflation and financial sector instability that can spread across borders. While it is difficult to give a straightforward answer about inflation due to various influencing factors, there are clear indicators for the financial sector that show its resilience....

Consumers in the euro area expect weak growth in real estate prices over the next 12 months, while their forecast for mortgage interest rates is to fall, shows the latest regular survey of the European Central Bank (ECB), conducted in June among 19 000 participants in euro area countries. Citizens of these countries hope that...

Bulgaria continues to be among the countries with the largest share of people at risk of social isolation and poverty, according to Eurostat data for 2023. A total of 30% of Bulgarians live in deprivation – only 2 percentage points below the share in Romania.  The statistics examine a total of 13 indicators that assess...

Euro area banks slightly tightened business lending conditions in the first quarter of the year, while demand for loans in the corporate sector shrank significantly against the backdrop of expectations to the contrary, shows a regular survey of the European Central Bank (ECB). The survey notes a significant drop in the demand for corporate loans...