SOFIA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's Industrial Production Index (IPI) in December 2017 rose by 2.0 percent year-on-year, and by 0.7 percent compared with November, the country's National Statistical Institute (NSI) said Thursday.
Preliminary NSI data showed that on an annual basis, December's IPI rose in the manufacturing by 5.2 percent, while the production fell in the mining and quarrying industry by 5.2 percent, and 5.1 percent in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply.
In the manufacturing, the more considerable increases compared to the same month of the previous year were registered in basic metals -- by 26.0 percent, chemicals and chemical products -- 24.2 percent, basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations -- 19.4 percent, and computer, electronic and optical products -- 16.3 percent, the NSI said.
Meanwhile, decreases see in the manufacture of tobacco products -- by 35.8 percent, fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment -- 12.7 percent, paper and paper products -- 8.6 percent, and beverages -- 6.1 percent, the NSI said.
On a monthly basis, the IPI in December 2017 rose in the manufacturing by 1.5 percent and in the mining and quarrying industry by 0.7 percent, while the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply decreased by 0.2 percent, the NSI said.
