Fitch Ratings has confirmed Bulgaria's long-term foreign and local credit rating 'BBB'. The outlook remains positive. This was announced by the press center of the Ministry of Finance. The credit rating assessment is underpinned by stable external and public finances, a stable policy of gradual accession to the euro area, and prospects for sustainable growth. Fitch forecasts real GDP growth to average 3.3% in 2019-2021, which is in line with the median for the group of countries with 'BBB' rating. In the first half of 2019, economic growth exceeded expectations, mainly due to the greater than expected export recovery. Private consumption remains stable, supported by wage increases.

Deposits of Bulgaria's non-government sector rose by an annual 7.7% to BGN 81.0 billion at the end of July, up from a 7.2% annual rise at the end of June, the central bank, BNB, said. Deposits at the end of July were equal to 70% of Bulgaria's estimated gross domestic product in 2019. Deposits of households increased by an annual 8.1% to BGN 53.4 billion at the end of July. Deposits of non-financial corporations totalled BGN 24.1 billion, up by 3.9% year-on-year, while deposits of financial corporations added 35.1% to BGN 3.5 billion.

Although small in size, projects are still being developed in Bulgaria - both by Bulgarian and foreign investors. Economic zones - both new and existing, are coming to the fore in the government's strategy. Three final and one preliminary contract with different companies were signed by National Company Industrial Zones SPJSC for implementation in Economic Zone Sofia-Bozhurishte. The value of the investments is about BGN 52 million, and as a result 100 new jobs will be created. LIM Technics LTD’s investment project is related to expansion of the company activity. The amount of the investment is BGN 4 million and 40 new jobs will be created through it. The other investor in Sofia-Bozhurishte Economic Zone is Zora Logistic MMS LTD, which will build warehouse offices for over BGN 17 million. The investment will provide employment to 33 people. AIKO EOOD will build warehouse space. The company will invest nearly BGN 15 million and create 5 jobs. RGS Invest, which also signed a final contract in July, has a certificate and plans to build a logistics center with ancillary office buildings. Their investment amounts to BGN 16 million, and the base will employ 20 people.

Bulgarian insurance company EIG Re, part of local Euroins Insurance Group (EIG), is planning to offer insurance services in Greece, according to a statement by Bulgaria's Financial Supervision Commission (FSC). The FSC has informed the competent legal authorities in Greece of the company's intentions. The regulator did not provide further details. EIG Re, previously named HDI Zastrahovane, was acquired by EIG in 2015. The company is mainly active in reinsurance.

Bulgaria's Road Infrastructure Agency will sign a BGN 1.5 million deal, VAT excluded, with local company GBS Infrastrukturno Stroitelstvo for an emergency repair of a viaduct on the Struma motorway damaged by fire. The viaduct near the town of Dupnitsa south of Sofia was damaged earlier this month when trash unlawfully piled under the viaduct by a waste collection company caught fire. RIA said in a notice on Thursday that it will assign the works to GBS Infrastrukturno Stroitelstvo without calling a public procurement tender because of the urgent need of repair of the viaduct in view of traffic safety requirements and the importance of the Struma motorway for the national economy. The viaduct on the Struma motorway connecting Sofia to Kulata checkpoint on the border with Greece was closed for traffic after the fire for safety reasons. GBS Infrastrukturno Stroitelstvo is the company that had built the viaduct and is responsible for fixing any defects on the structure during the warranty period. Works on the project should be completed within 4 months.

Bulgaria's Expat Asset Management intends to set up a mutual fund named Expat Bulgaria Short SOFIX, according to a statement by the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC). The FSC asked Expat Asset Management to provide further information and documents regarding its plans to set up the investment fund. Currently, Expat Asset Management operates 11 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking the performance of stock indices from the CEE region, including the SOFIX, and three mutual funds. Expat Asset Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of local Expat Capital.

Bulgarian medical consumables producer Etropal said that its consolidated net profit after minority interest remained flattish year-on-year at just BGN 22,000, slightly down from BGN 38,000 in the same period of 2018. Etropal's revenue fell to BGN 4.1 million in the January-June period of 2019 from BGN 4.4 million in the comparable period of last year. Operating expenses decreased to BGN 4.1 million in the review period from BGN 4.4 million the year before, as expenses for materials fell to BGN 2.3 million from BGN 2.6 million. The company's assets rose to BGN 14.5 million at the end of June from BGN 12.6 million a year earlier, due to an increase in inventory and trade receivables. Etropal consolidates the results of its majority-owned unit Etropal Trade.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal, it will no longer legally owe the 39 billion pound divorce bill agreed by his predecessor Theresa May. Earlier British media reported Johnson would use a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk on the sidelines of the G7 Summit to set out that Britain would pay less than 10 billion pounds of the settlement if it leaves without a deal. The figure was 9 billion pounds, while the Sunday Times reported British government lawyers had concluded the amount Britain was legally obliged to pay could be as low as 7 billion pounds. “I think what the entire European Union understands is that if we come out without a deal then...the 39 billion is no longer legally pledged,” Johnson told Sky News, when asked if he had told EU leaders this week he planned to withhold the money. “As I’ve said many, many times we will therefore on November 1 have very substantial sums available from that 39 billion to spend on supporting our farmers...and indeed for investment in all sorts of areas.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said the leaders of the world’s major industrialized nations were close to an agreement on how to help fight the Amazon forest fires and try to repair the devastation. “There’s a real convergence to say: ‘let’s all agree to help those countries hit by these fires’,” he told reporters in Biarritz, which is hosting the annual summit of leaders from the Group of Seven nations. He said the G7 countries comprising the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Britain and Canada, were finalizing a possible deal on “technical and financial help”. Macron shunted the Amazon fires to the top of the summit agenda after declaring them a global emergency, and kicked off discussions about the disaster at a welcome dinner for fellow leaders on Saturday. An EU official, who declined to be named, said the G7 leaders had agreed to do everything they could to help tackle the fires, giving Macron a mandate to contact all the countries in the Amazon region to see what was needed.

China unveiled its latest rankings for 500 largest private enterprises, with tech giant Huawei atop the list amid sound development of the country's private business. The list by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) came at the China Top 500 Private Enterprises Summit 2019 held in Xining, the capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. Huawei peaked the list with a revenue of 721.2 billion yuan (102 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018. Top companies also include HNA Group, Suning, Amer International, Evergrande, JD.com, Country Garden, Hengli Group, Legend Holdings and Gome Holdings. To be listed, an enterprise needed to have revenues exceeding 18.59 billion yuan last year. A total of 20 of China's private firms were also on the list of the world's top 500 companies, three more than last year.