Preliminary data from Eurostat indicates that annual inflation in Bulgaria reached 6.2% in April 2026, marking the highest rate among euro area countries. Conversely, Eurozone-wide inflation is projected to increase for the fourth consecutive month, reaching 3.0% in April from 2.6% in March. Among the member states, the highest rates followed Bulgaria, recorded in Lithuania (4.9%), Greece (4.6%), Belgium (4.3%), and Slovakia (4.0%).
The lowest rates were reported in Finland (2.3%) and Malta (2.4%), alongside the Netherlands and France (both at 2.5%). Examining the primary drivers of Eurozone inflation, energy is anticipated to show the largest annual increase in April at 10.9%, up significantly from 5.1% in March. This was followed by services (3.0% vs.
3.2% in March), food, alcohol and tobacco (2.5% vs. 2.4%), and non-energy industrial goods (0.8% vs. 0.7%).
Separately, Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (NSI) released a flash estimate on Wednesday, reporting that monthly inflation via the Consumer Price Index is expected to hit 2.0%, while the annual rate is estimated at 7.1% for April 2026. This preliminary NSI data allows for an early comparison with the other 20 euro area countries following Bulgaria’s accession on January 1, 2026. It is noted that the NSI figures are based on CPI measurements, whereas Eurostat utilizes the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices.
Topics: #inflation #annual #april
Inflation seems to be a persistent problem across the region.