SOFIA: Bulgaria posted a current account surplus of 1.5 percent of gross domestic product in the first six months compared with a deficit of 0.2 percent in the same period last year, mainly due to a drop in imports, central bank data showed on Wednesday.

The surplus for June alone was 562.8 million euros ($633.4 million) compared to a surplus of 100.3 million in June 2015, data showed.

Foreign direct investment, much needed to spur growth in the European Union's poorest country, dropped to 778.4 million euros in the first six months from 957.9 million in January-June of 2015.

The government expects a current account surplus of 1.8 percent of GDP for all of 2016, after a surplus of 1.4 percent in 2015.

Copyright Reuters, 2016