Preliminary data from Eurostat indicates that Bulgaria’s annual inflation rate reached 6.2% in April 2026, marking the highest rate among Euro area countries. Concurrently, overall Eurozone inflation is projected to increase for the fourth consecutive month, reaching 3.0% in April from 2.6% in March. Among Euro area members, following Bulgaria’s accession on January 1, 2026, Lithuania (4.9%), Greece (4.6%), Belgium (4.3%), and Slovakia (4.0%) recorded the highest rates.
Conversely, Finland (2.3%), Malta (2.4%), the Netherlands, and France all showed rates of 2.5% or lower. Examining the main drivers of inflation in the Euro area, energy is anticipated to show the largest annual increase in April at 10.9%, up from 5.1% in March. This is 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%).
In contrast, Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (NSI) reported a flash estimate on Wednesday, projecting that monthly inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, would reach 2.0% in April 2026, while the annual inflation rate stood at 7.1%. This flash estimate offers early insight into price dynamics, allowing for direct comparison with the other 20 Euro area nations after Bulgaria’s integration into the monetary union. It is noted that NSI data are based on CPI measurements, whereas Eurostat utilizes the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices.
Topics: #inflation #annual #april
