Global recorded music revenues grew by 6.4% in 2025 to $31.7 billion, marking the industry's eleventh consecutive year of growth, according to the annual report by IFPI, the organization representing the recording industry worldwide. Paid streaming remains the main driver of the increase. Subscription revenues grew by 8.8% to 52.4% of all revenues, with the number of paid subscriptions reaching 837 million worldwide. Recorded music revenues in Bulgaria surpassed $20 million for the first time in 2025, reaching $21.7 million. The growth rate was 13.2%, roughly twice the global average. Nearly 60% of revenues in our country come from streaming, about 11% - from physical media, and over 28% are generated through collective rights management by PROFON through licensing of businesses that use music - media, commercial and tourist sites. "Revenues from paid streaming services are the biggest driver of the market in our country in 2025, growing by 22% and generating over 40% of business revenues," commented Boral Shen, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Association of Music Producers. The potential of this segment remains significant, but music piracy and legislative gaps limit the development of streaming services and lead to lost revenues for the sector. In Bulgaria, revenues from sales of vinyl records increase by 23.5%, with a similar trend observed globally. Revenue from collective management of related rights through PROFON is also increasing - by 12.6% in 2025. Globally, physical formats report 8% growth, and vinyl is growing for the 19th consecutive year. Music companies are actively developing licensing models related to artificial intelligence, in order to create new sources of revenue for artists. At the same time, the industry warns of increasing streaming fraud, in which artificially generated listening diverts revenue from artists. All regions around the world report growth in 2025, with Latin America being the "excellent" with an increase of 17.1%, data from the global report on the state of the music industry also show.

Over 4,400 Bulgarian and foreign hunters hunted in the framework of organized hunting tourism. These activities, implemented in 2025, generated revenue of nearly 3.8 million euros. The analysis shows that in all hunting management areas over the past year there were stable game populations. Bulgaria remains a leader in terms of trophy qualities of game.

Last year, the Balkan Stream transit gas pipeline, built and operated by the state-owned company Bulgartransgaz, brought in revenues of BGN 570 million (EUR 291 million), and its operating profit was BGN 560 million (EUR 286 million). Bulgartransgaz's revenues from Balkan Stream come mainly from concluded contracts for capacity retention for a period of 20 years - BGN 497 million (EUR 254 million) for 2025. Additionally, there are revenues from providing capacity at the interconnection points - BGN 73 million (EUR 37 million). Or the total reported revenues are BGN 570 million (EUR 291 million). The expenses for last year are BGN 9.8 million (EUR 5 million). The amount is for materials, security, electricity, personnel, social costs, insurance, local taxes and fees for the Rasovo, Nova Provadia compressor stations and the Strandzha gas metering station. Revenues from Balkan Stream for 2022 were nearly 376 million leva, expenses - 113.95 million leva. Thus, the operating profit was 261.93 million leva. For 2021, the profit was 83.57 million leva. "Balkan Stream", also called the continuation of TurkStream or "expansion of Bulgaria's gas transmission network", is part of the construction of the European gas distribution center "Balkan". "Balkan Stream" was built in record time with funds from "Bulgartransgaz" - available and loans, amounting to about 3 billion leva. "TurkStream" connects Russia with the European coast of Turkey along the bottom of the Black Sea. It consists of two pipes, each with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters. The first pipe directly supplies "blue fuel" to Turkey, and the second is intended for the countries of Europe and the Western Balkans. In Europe, it enters Bulgarian territory, from where transit to Serbia and Hungary takes place. The Bulgarian part is known as "Balkan Stream". Meanwhile, the EU has adopted a strict schedule for a phase-out and complete ban on Russian natural gas by 2027. This means that Bulgartransgaz must have a clear plan for the transition to other gas suppliers. The built infrastructure has a useful life of over 35 years.

Valeo Foods Group, a manufacturer of confectionery and snacks based in Ireland, announced that it is acquiring the Bulgarian company Prestige-96 - Veliko Tarnovo. The deal is one of the most significant foreign investments in the food industry in the country and will have to be approved by the Commission for the Protection of Competition. The price of the deal, according to analysts, is about 80 million euros. The purchase was expected, as the previous majority owners - the investment funds The Rohatyn Group (TRG) and Stage Capital, stayed in the company for more than five years, beyond the usual period for exiting a deal. For Valeo Foods Group, this is the eighth acquisition of a European company since 2022. Prestige-96 was founded by Anton Tanev and Georgi Georgiev in 1996 and produces biscuits and wafers in Veliko Tarnovo. In 2012, the owners sold 90% of their shares in the company to two international funds - Citi Venture Capital International (part of Citigroup, then The Rohatyn Group) and NBGI Private Equity (then a division of the National Bank of Greece, then a company of Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs). The new owners made significant investments in production and storage facilities. In 2019, Prestige bought the Credo Food company near Veliko Tarnovo for 4.2 million leva. The deal allowed the new owner to increase its wafer production capacity. The Bulgarian company exports its wafers, biscuits and dry pastes to over 30 countries under the brands "Trayana", "Mirage", "Roden Kray", "Hyper", "Troya", "Spoko", "Naya", "Muesli", "Nasladki", "Prestige", etc. For 2024, "Prestige-96" reports 79.788 million leva in sales revenue (1.35% growth compared to the previous year) and 8.59 million leva in profit (compared to 8.4 leva in 2023). The company employs about 450 people. Based in Dublin, Ireland, Valeo Foods Group is among the leading international companies in the food sector and specializes in the production of sweet products and snacks. The company was founded in 2010, but its portfolio of over 80 brands, sold in over 100 markets around the world, also includes those with nearly 150 years of history. Some of the group's brands are Balconi cakes, Barratt sweets, Pedro confectionery, Horalky, Lina and Mila wafers, Rowse Honey, Bernard maple syrup and Kettle Chips. In addition, the production also includes products under the "private label" model. The group has annual revenues of around €2 billion, over 5,500 employees and over 30 production sites and offices in Europe and North America. Since 2021, Valeo Foods Group has been owned by the American fund Bain Capital, which until 2018 was a shareholder in the Sevlievo sanitary ceramics plant "Ideal Standard-Vidima" (currently "Villeroy & Boch Bulgaria").

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) adopted a decision imposing property sanctions on "Toplofikatsiya Sofia" and "Energy Market". The sanctions are for violation of the prohibition on manipulation of the wholesale energy market under Regulation (EU) No. 1227/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (REMIT). EWRC accepted that the two companies acted by prior arrangement, which is a prohibited market practice within the meaning of REMIT. They concluded transactions at prices and for quantities significantly deviating from market levels in the period November 2020 - January 2021 on the "Within the Day" market segment of the Bulgarian Independent Energy Exchange. It has been established that "Toplofikatsiya Sofia" sold electricity to "Energy Market" at prices below market prices, through block and hourly products. These actions resulted in sending misleading signals to the market regarding the wholesale price of energy products, which constitutes a violation of the prohibition of market manipulation under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No. 1227/2011. In accordance with the Methodology for determining sanctions and fines imposed under Article 224d of the Energy Act, a financial penalty of EUR 53,969.86 was imposed on each of the two companies, KEWR stated. The decision of the energy regulator is subject to appeal before the Administrative Court of Sofia - City within 14 days of its notification.

By order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov of March 17, 2026, Eng. Zdravko Bakalov was appointed director of the South Central State Enterprise. Eng. Bakalov has a master's degree in "Forestry" and has many years of professional experience in the forest system. Over the years, he has held various forestry and management positions, including having already managed the enterprise in Smolyan.

The manufacturer of grain-based baby cereals, wheat sticks and cereals "Slancho" AD will pay a dividend of 0.20 euros per share from its profit for 2025. The proposal will be voted on by the regular general meeting of shareholders of the company, scheduled for April 20 in Svishtov. The company's profit for last year amounted to 793,338.41 euros, of which 640,000 euros will be paid to shareholders. The remaining 153,338.41 will remain as undistributed profit. From the net profit for 2024, the company also paid a dividend - 0.40 leva per share, and the shareholders distributed the amount of 1,280,000 leva.

Preserving our/Europe's/industrial strength is not just an economic issue, it is also a deeply political task. Climate change must be tackled decisively. However, we can only succeed in the green transformation if our industrial base remains strong. This is underlined in an official address by a group of 10 European countries, on the eve of the European Council meeting and sent to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The address was signed by the Federal Chancellor of Austria, Christian Stocker, the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, the President of Romania, Nikusor Dan, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babis, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, and the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico. Bulgaria has joined the countries that are coming out with a concrete and firm position for the overhaul of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in defense of the interests of businesses and workers in European industrial enterprises. The leaders of the 10 EU member states emphasize that European competitiveness has long been – and remains more than ever – the backbone of our prosperity, strength and resilience. The European project has always been based on economic success by promoting sustainable prosperity and competitiveness. “Consequently, preserving our strength is not only an economic issue, but also a deeply political task. Climate change must be tackled decisively. However, we can only succeed in the green transformation if our industrial base remains strong,” the leaders state in the letter. And they note that “Since the Green Deal was agreed, the global environment has changed significantly. Energy prices have soared, inflation has made the investments needed for the transition even more expensive, and current decarbonisation solutions are not yet sufficiently developed for the economic sustainability of hard-to-reduce industries”. “Today we see that the path foreseen by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) until 2034 is too steep and too ambitious. Our industry is committed and continues to take the necessary steps to transform its business models. However, combined with high energy prices and the gradual phasing out of free ETS allowances, the current framework has become an existential risk for many European strategic industrial sectors”, the leaders point out in their position. The leaders of the 10 countries state their position that a thorough review of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) should be carried out, aimed at mitigating its impact on electricity prices and reducing the risk of carbon price volatility, including an extension of the EU's free allowances under ETS 1 beyond 2034. It is crucial to ensure a smooth phasing out of free allowances from 2028 onwards to avoid excessive burdens on industry during this transition period. We welcome the fact that this principle is also reflected in the agreement on the 2040 climate target.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), oil production is spread across multiple continents, but it is also concentrated among a small group of leading producers. The United States was the world’s largest crude oil producer in 2025, with production of 13.58 million barrels per day. The country surpassed Russia in 2018 and is set to become the largest crude oil producer of all time in 2023. Approximately one-quarter of U.S. production comes from the Permian Basin, a sedimentary region spanning western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. In addition to the Permian and other deposits in Texas, the U.S. also has large oil reserves in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. In Alaska, oil revenues have supported the Alaska Permanent Fund since the 1970s, a state-owned sovereign wealth fund that pays dividends to residents. Russia and Saudi Arabia rank second and third globally, each producing more than 9.5 million barrels per day. Although America leads the pack, the Middle East remains the world’s largest production hub, with five countries in the world’s top 10: Saudi Arabia (9.51 million barrels per day), Iraq (4.39 million bpd), Iran (4.19 million bpd), the United Arab Emirates (3.82 million bpd), and Kuwait (2.58 million bpd). All five are located along the Persian Gulf, giving the region a disproportionate role in global energy markets. This also means that conflict or disruption around the Strait of Hormuz could have serious consequences for global oil supplies. Since the 1960s, each of these countries has also been a major member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which coordinates the actions of major oil producers on production and pricing strategy. The United States is not a member of OPEC. Neither are Canada (4.94 million barrels per day) and China (4.34 million b/d), which produced more than 4 million b/d in 2025 and are among the world’s 10 largest producers. Meanwhile, two other major producers, Russia (9.87 million b/d) and Brazil (3.74 million b/d), are part of OPEC+, a looser coalition that works with OPEC members to manage production when their interests align.