site.btaBulgaria Returns to Top Spot in EU for Annual Industrial Producer Price Growth in April

Bulgaria recorded the highest annual increase in industrial producer prices among European Union member states in April, with prices rising by 14.5% year on year, according to preliminary data published by the European statistical agency Eurostat on Wednesday.

In the previous month, Bulgaria, with an increase of 7.5%, was overtaken by Romania, where producer prices rose by 7.8%.

In February, Bulgaria was again the EU country with the highest annual growth rate in industrial producer prices after Estonia topped the ranking in January. Bulgaria first moved into the leading position in February 2025 and retained it through the end of that year.

After Bulgaria, the largest annual increases in April were recorded in Lithuania (13.1%) and Romania (11.5%). Price decreases were registered in Luxembourg (-3.7%), Estonia (-1.2%), Cyprus (-0.7%) and Latvia (-0.6%).

Producer prices increased by 4.9% year on year in both the euro area and the EU as a whole in April compared with the same month of 2025.

On a monthly basis, compared with March 2026, industrial producer prices rose by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU. In March, monthly increases of 3.4% and 3.1%, respectively, had been recorded.

In the euro area, prices of intermediate goods increased by 1.8% month on month in April. Capital goods and durable consumer goods each rose by 0.3%, while energy prices declined by 0.4%. Prices of non-durable consumer goods remained unchanged.

Across the EU, intermediate goods prices also increased by 1.8%, energy prices rose by 0.3%, and capital goods and durable consumer goods each gained 0.3%. Prices of non-durable consumer goods remained unchanged.

The largest monthly increases in producer prices were recorded in Denmark (3.0%), Croatia (2.7%) and Belgium (2.4%). The sharpest declines were registered in France (-2.1%), Estonia (-0.8%) and Sweden (-0.3%).

On an annual basis, energy prices increased by 12.3% in the euro area and by 12.6% in the EU. Prices of intermediate goods rose by 3.9% in the euro area and by 3.7% in the EU.

Industrial producer prices excluding the energy sector increased by 2.3% in the euro area and by 2.1% in the EU.