The turnover in the section "Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles", at comparable prices, increased by 1% in July 2019 compared to the previous month, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted data of the National Statistical Institute. In July 2019, retail trade turnover, calculated on the basis of calendar data, increased by 3.7% compared to the same month of the previous year. There was an increase in turnover compared to the previous month in the retail trade in non-food goods - by 1.5%, in the trade in automotive fuels and lubricants - by 1%, and in the retail trade in food, beverages and tobacco - by 0.9%. In the retail sale of non-food goods, except in the sale of automotive fuels and lubricants, a significant increase was observed in retail sale of computer and communication equipment and retail sale by mail, telephone or internet orders - by 8.2 and 7% respectively.

According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute, in July the production index in the Construction sector, calculated on the basis of seasonal data, is 1.7 percent above the level of the previous month. The calendar-adjusted data show an increase of 4.3 percent of construction output in July 2019 compared to the same month in 2018. In July 2019, the seasonally adjusted construction output index was above the level of the previous month, with civil/engineering production increasing by 2.6 percent and building construction - by 1 percent. On an annual basis, the increase in construction output in July 2019, calculated from calendar data, is determined by the positive rate in building construction, where growth is 8.3 percent, while in civil/engineering construction there was a decrease of 0.8 percent.

Bulgaria's government has awarded a 35-year concession of the Zlaten Dol minerals deposit to local company Vatia Quartz, which will invest BGN 24.5 million in the mining of kaolin and quartz sand over the term of the concession. Vatia Quartz will also make concession payments of over BGN 15.6 million during the 35-year period. The deposit is situated in Vetovo municipality near the city of Ruse where Bulgaria's biggest river port on the Danube is located. Vatia Quartz, established in 2015, is a 50-50 joint venture between local companies Vatia Holding and Advance Properties, according to data from its most recent annual financial statement. Vatia Quartz booked revenue of just BGN 6,000 in 2018 and closed the year with a net loss of BGN 20,000. The company had assets of some BGN 3.1 million at the end of 2018, of which BGN 173,000 in current assets.

Bulgaria’s Cabinet decided on September 11 to open talks with ContourGlobal Maritsa Iztok 3 on terminating its power purchasing agreement with state-owned electric utility NEK. In a statement, the cabinet media office said that Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov and Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova have been mandated to represent the government in the talks. They would also carry out all communication with the European Commission’s competition directorate-general regarding the termination of the contract, the statement said. The Commission has opened proceedings against Bulgaria after the country’s utilities regulator lodged a complaint describing the contract as illegal state aid, the government said. ContourGlobal is one of two US investors, alongside AES, that operate coal-powered thermal plants in southern Bulgaria, in close proximity to a third plant, state-owned TPP Maritsa Iztok 2. The US firm bought the plant in 2011 from Italy’s Enel, which had previously bought out the stake held by another US investor, Entergy, in 2006.

Bulgaria's Logistic Group Invest is seeking regulatory approval to buy Sofia-based Express Logistic and Distribution from tobacco producer British American Tobacco Western Europe Commercial Trading Limited, Bulgaria's anti-trust body said. British American Tobacco Western Europe Commercial Trading Limited is part of British American Tobacco (BAT). The acquisition is not expected to affect competition on any market segment in Bulgaria. Interested parties have until September 17 to submit their positions on the deal to the regulator. According to data published in the Bulgarian commercial register, British American Tobacco Western Europe Commercial Trading Limited holds a 100% stake in the capital of Express Logistic and Distribution. BAT became the sole owner of Express Logistic and Distribution in May 2017. Express Logistic and Distribution had a net profit of BGN 1.1 billion in 2017. Express Logistic and Distribution, established in 2013, is most active in the export and import of tobacco products.

Bulgaria's Groupama Zhivotozastrahovane, a unit of France's Groupama Group, is seeking anti-trust approval to acquire local Express Life Insurance, according to competition regulator documents. Both Groupama Zhivotozastrahovane and Express Life Insurance are active on the local insurance market so the Commission for Protection of Competition is due to analyse the possibility of establishing or strengthening a dominant market position, a notice posted on the Bulgarian regulator's website reads. Interested parties have until September 18 to submit their statements regarding the transaction. In July, OTP said that together with its Bulgarian unit Expressbank it has agreed to sell 100% of insurer Express Life Insurance to Groupama Zhivotozastrahovane. Expressbank was renamed from Societe Generale Expressbank earlier this year, after DSK Bank - a unit of OTP, completed its acquisition from France's Societe Generale Group. Besides Expressbank, DSK Bank also acquired indirect control over its units Societe Generale Factoring, Sogelease Bulgaria and Regional Urban Development Fund, as well as direct control over insurer Sogelife Bulgaria. OTP Bank has been present in Bulgaria since 2003.

The government has issued instructions that the radio spectrum within the 700 MHz range and the 24.25-27.5 GHz frequency band be emptied for the construction of 5G networks. This resource will ensure higher data rates with full territorial coverage of the country. The changes introduced are in conformity with the national roadmap for the fulfilment of Bulgaria’s obligations to the EU for the development of digital technologies. In 2017 the European Parliament introduced the use of a single frequency band 470-790 MHz for the construction of 5G networks within the European community. All three operators - Vivacom, A1 and Telenor - have already announced that they have an interest in the development of the technology in Bulgaria. The companies have also started testing various services through 5G in the country.

The Pernik Administrative Court allowed Toplofikacia Pernik JSC to operate. On September 5, two of the plant's three steam generators were forcibly shut down by order of the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) for illegal burning of biomass. However, the court overruled the decision of the director of RIEW-Pernik. The watchdog may challenge the ruling within 7 days, but it is unclear whether it will do so. Meanwhile, RIEW experts started a test at the Republika TPP on Wednesday to verify that the Hristo Kovachki-related company had removed 90 tons of straw from its sites. According to the complex permit, the thermal power plant is not allowed to burn straw. The removal of the bales was a condition for the two steam generators to be restarted. The work of Republika TPP was terminated last week after another gassing of Pernik and protest by local residents. At that time, Environment Minister Nino Dimov and Pernik Mayor Vera Tserovska publicly announced that there were no violations by Toplofikacia Pernik, but then the environment ministry changed its position.

The European Commission will analyze the court's decision on Russia's Gazprom and its access to OPAL pipeline and give details on the next steps soon, Maros Sefcovic, the vice president of the European Commission in charge of the Energy Union, said Wednesday. On Tuesday, an EU court overturned a 2016 European Commission decision to expand Gazprom's access to OPAL's facilities. "We'll really have to analyze and react in accordance with the law, with our prerogatives, and of course, we will inform shortly what the next course of action would be," Sefcovic told reporters when asked about the commission's reaction to the court's decision. Germany's Federal Network Agency has informed that Gazprom must reduce Opal's natural gas transportation to half of the pipeline's transit capacity in compliance with a court ruling. This means a return to the European Commission decision of 2009.

General Motors is recalling more than 3.46 million big pickup trucks and SUVs in the U.S to fix a brake problem. The recall covers the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2014 through 2018 model years. Also included are the Cadillac Escalade from 2015 to 2017, and the GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburban and Tahoe from 2015 through 2018. GM says that as it ages, the pump in the power-assist brakes can put out less vacuum power than needed, increasing stopping distance and the risk of a crash. The recall comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the problem in November of last year. Dealers will recalibrate the electronic brake control module at no cost to customers. Owners were to be notified starting Sept. 6. NHTSA, the government’s road safety agency, began investigating the problem last year after getting 111 complaints from owners of poor brake performance. At the time the agency had nine reports of crashes that had caused two injuries. GM says the problems occur rarely and mostly at low speeds like driving in parking lots.

South Korea's trade minister said the country plans to file a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Japan's tighter export controls, accusing Tokyo of being "politically motivated" and "discriminatory". Early in July, Japan imposed tighter controls on exports of three materials to South Korea used to make smartphone chips or displays following a diplomatic dispute over compensation for forced labourers during Japan's occupation of Korea during World War II. "We have decided to complain about Japan's measures at the WTO ... to prevent the act of abusing trade for political purposes from recurring," South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee said at a briefing. Bilateral relations deteriorated after South Korea's Supreme Court last year ordered two Japanese companies to compensate the wartime workers in a ruling that Tokyo said violated international law. Japan believes the issue of compensation was settled under a 1965 treaty. Yoo said South Korean firms are "faced with serious damage" due to uncertainties over shipments of the three materials affected by Japan's export controls - fluorinated polyimides, photoresists and hydrogen fluoride.