SOFIA: Bulgaria posted a current account surplus equivalent to 1.1 percent of gross domestic product in the first nine months of 2014, compared with a surplus of 3.1 percent in the same period last year, central bank data showed on Monday.

The surplus came to 432 million euros ($540 million) as of the end of September, down from 1.28 billion euros in the same period last year. The fall was mainly due to weaker exports.

Foreign direct investment in the EU member, needed to spur its fledgling economy, stood at 1.11 billion euros, slightly down from 1.16 billion euros in the same period a year ago.

The government sees the current account, the Balkan country's balance sheet with the rest of the world, posting a surplus of 0.8 percent in 2014, after a 1.9 percent surplus last year.

Copyright Reuters, 2014