Expenditures for pensions for the first eight months of the year are by BGN 1.530 billion, or by 21.7% higher compared to the same period in 2020. This is due to the paid lump sums of BGN 50 to all pensioners in the period January - August, the higher minimum amounts of pensions, as well as the increased maximum amount of pensions from January 1, 2021. This was announced by the National Social Security Institute (NSSI), which provides information on the cash execution of social security funds, administered by the institute. As of August 31, 2021, the total amount of reported revenues under the consolidated budget of the state social insurance (SSSI) is BGN 5.895 billion, which represents 69.3% of the implementation of the plan for the year.

Bulgaria ranks 25th among a total of 55 hottest real estate markets in the world, according to the latest report by the consulting company Knight Frank. Housing prices in the country have risen by 7.5% on an annual basis in the second quarter and by 5% for the last six months according to Eurostat. Bulgaria has climbed seven places in the Knight Frank index compared to the first quarter, when it ranked 32nd. The first place for the sixth consecutive quarter is occupied by Turkey. It tops the list with property prices rising by 29.2% for the year and 16.3% for the last 6 months. It is followed by New Zealand with 25.9% and the USA and Slovakia - both with 18.6%. Another 14 countries have double-digit growth in house prices in one year. Among them are Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Russia, Great Britain, Germany.

BGN 80.28 per megawatt-hour is the price of natural gas, requested by Bulgargaz and approved by the EWRC experts, it became clear from their report. This is 15.68% more than in September, which is BGN 69.40. On August 11, the gas company announced a forecast for the October price of BGN 69.76 per megawatt-hour, but since then the prices of gas hubs have gone "crazy" and they have a 70% share in the formula for wholesale gas in our country. If this price is maintained until the decision of the EWRC on October 1, it will be 224.75% higher than the same month a year ago. In fact, how much it will be depends on the latest adjustments that Bulgargaz makes on the first day of each month. It is clear from the EWRC report that the gas company has also requested to be recognized for transmission costs through the Greek gas transmission system from the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. There were concerns that the capacity contract in the Greek network was until the end of September. The request for recognition of these costs means that Bulgargaz will continue to buy Azeri gas and transport it from Nea Mesimvria to the Tower and from there on the Bulgarian network. Experts say the price of gas from Azerbaijan is calculated according to the formula with oil derivatives and there is no component of European gas exchanges, which makes it cheaper.

The dispute over the ownership of voting machines has not yet been resolved. The Ciela Norma company, which supplies the devices, is urging the Central Election Commission (CEC) to pay BGN 14.4m in rent for the machines used during the July 11th vote, as it believes they are still its property. In addition, Ciela Norma states that if the CEC does not own the machines for the upcoming elections on November 14, it will again ask for a rent of BGN 1,500 per device for each round separately, as well as a rent of BGN 543,000 for the warehouse where it stores them. The problem with the ownership of the machines has been going on since April. For the then elections, the CEC announced a public tender for the supply of 9,600 devices worth BGN 36 million without VAT, and then signed a contract with Ciela Norma. However, it was written in the contract that the state acquires the ownership of the devices and the software for them after the payment and signing of the final acceptance-transfer protocol.

Cyprus-based information and communications technology distributor ASBISc Enterprises said it has signed a partnership agreement with global digital infrastructure provider Vertiv under which ASBIS's Bulgaria unit is to distribute Vertiv products and services. The agreement will grant Bulgarian customers improved access to industry-leading support solutions during a time when digitalization, 5G, IoT and other trends are driving growth from enterprise data centers to the network edge. ASBIS Group is one of the leading distributors of IT and IoT products, solutions and services in Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East and Africa. Vertiv, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, USA, has a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that strive to solve the most important challenges facing today’s data centres, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities.

The distributor Dentotal Group has been owned by the equity fund Abris Capital since October. The investment company is based in Poland, managing funds worth over EUR 1 billion and is active in Central and Eastern Europe. The information about the transaction became clear from the requested authorization for the concentration by the Commission for Protection of Competition. The Bulgarian company Dentatehnika is owned by Vasil Popov and for the last two years the turnover varies between BGN 7 and 11 million, and the employees are 30. Dentotal was founded in 1994. A family company that currently supplies consumables and tools for 12 Thousands of clients - dental clinics and laboratories.

Bulgarian hydraulic equipment manufacturer M+S Hydraulic said that it expects to close the first nine months of 2021 with sales of some BGN 110.2 million. In the first eight months of this year, M+S Hydraulic booked a preliminary gross profit of BGN 13.6 million on sales of BGN 96.2 million. M+S Hydraulic previously reported sales of BGN 73.7 million for the first nine months of 2020, as well as a preliminary profit of BGN 8.2 million on sales of BGN 66.3 million for the first eight months of last year. M+S Hydraulic is an affiliate of diversified group Stara Planina Hold.

Spain's left-wing government has agreed to urgent measures to offset rising energy bills. The southern European country aims to channel 2.6 billion euros from energy companies' profits to consumers, who currently pay record prices for electricity and gas. The government also plans to cut electricity taxes during the winter months. But Spain is not alone in this crisis. The whole of Europe is affected by the rise in energy prices, especially natural gas. Other countries are also taking steps to reduce the burden on consumers. Greece, for example, promises subsidies to consumers, and Italy is also seeking to revise electricity bills. Poland is also facing some of the biggest increases in energy prices, as it not only has to deal with rising gas prices, but also with rising carbon prices under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme due to its high dependence on coal. According to it, companies receive or buy emission allowances and then trade them.

President Joe Biden's administration has warned of an "economic catastrophe" if the US Congress does not increase the limit on government debt. Republicans have vowed to vote against raising the debt ceiling - forcing Democrats to bear the political consequences of such a decision. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that without an increase in debt, the government will not be able to cover payments on its current debts sometime in October. "The United States has never been unable to meet its obligations. Not once. This would probably cause a historic financial crisis that would complicate the damage from the ongoing public health emergency," Yellen said. The issue has often been a field of political play in politically polarized Washington, with Republicans repeatedly using debt to pressure under Democrat Barack Obama.

Surging sales of electric vehicles have put China on track to meet government targets several years early, but officials say the industry still needs to work harder on technological breakthroughs. Chinese consumers bought 1.79 million electric vehicles over the first eight months of 2021, up 194% from the same period last year. This expansion compared with 14% growth for overall auto sales. Analysts have credited the sales growth in part to new lower cost models, many with better design and range. The top-selling model by far though has been the Hongguang Mini EV, a basic compact priced from 28,800 yuan ($4,458) and made by a joint venture between General Motors, state-owned SAIC Motor and local manufacturer Wuling Motors. Addressing the World New Energy Vehicle Congress in the southern city of Haikou this week, William Li, chief executive of New York-listed EV maker Nio, said that the industry should be able to meet the government's goal of having EVs account for 20% of total sales next year, three years ahead of target. Last month, electrics made up 14.4% of sales.