Economy of Sofia:
Sofia is the major economic centre of Bulgaria and home to most major Bulgarian and international companies operating in Bulgaria. Sofia is also the country's financial hub, home to the Bulgarian National Bank, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, the Financial Supervision Commission as well as the headquarters of all commercial banks operating in the country. Construction, trade and transport are other important sectors of the local economy. Increasingly, Sofia is becoming an outsourcing destination for multinational companies, among them IBM, Hewlett-Packard, SAP, Siemens, Software AG. Bulgaria Air, the national airline of Bulgaria, has its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport.
Up until 2007 Sofia experienced rapid economic growth. Apartment prices increased dramatically, with a growth rate of 30% in 2008. In 2009, prices fell by 26%.