Bulgaria posted a current account surplus of 770 million euros ($799.11 million), equal to 1% of economic output in the first nine months, compared to a surplus of 0.7% in the same period a year ago, the central bank said on Friday.

In September alone, the current account posted a deficit of 458 million euros compared to a deficit of 31.5 million euros a year ago, data showed.

Foreign direct investment, much needed to boost growth in the European Union's country was 1.47 billion euros through September compared with 1.32 billion euros in the same period of 2021.

The central bank sees Bulgaria's current account posting a deficit of 1.6% of gross domestic product in 2022, up from a shortfall of 0.5% in 2021. ($1 = 0.9636 euros) (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova)