The volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Bulgaria in 2015 was 7.2% higher compared to the figure for the previous year, national statistics show.

Throughout 2015, FDI stood at EUR 23.127 B, of which some 66.8% was in the sectors of industry and services, according to preliminary data published by the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Investment in industry and services was EUR 9.852 B and EUR 5.607 B, respectively. The relative share of the two sectors increased by 2.3% year-on-year.

In services, the segments attracting the biggest foreign inflows were wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, transport, communication and services, the NSI says.

The 2015 value of FDI in construction was EUR 751 M, constituting a 18.1% decrease compared to the previous year.

Expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets also rose in 2015, the BGN 21.183 B (EUR 11.158 B) making up a 5.3% increase compared to the previous year.

Industry and services were the sectors where the largest volume of investments in tangible fixed assets, with a total value of BGN 5.9678 B (EUR 3.05 B).

In construction, their value of BGN 1.517 B (EUR 775.504 M) was 20.3% lower in 2015 compared to that of 2014.

The structure of expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets by kind was changed, according to the NSI.

The relative share of investments for buildings and construction equipment decreased by 1.8 percentage points compared to the previous year and reached 40.6%.

Expenditures for machines and equipment increased by 0.3 percentage points, for the purchase of land - by 0.4 percentage points and for means of transport - by 0.5 percentage points which respectively formed 29.5%, 6.7% and 12.5% of total investments of tangible fixed assets respectively.