Balance of trade | GlobalPost

Spain posts first trade surplus since 1971

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 16:01

Spain announced Friday its first monthly trade surplus since 1971 as imports slumped because of a collapse in demand in the midst of a recession and record unemployment. The eurozone's fourth biggest economy posted a surplus of 634.9 million euros ($817 million) in March, compared to a deficit of 3.245 billion euros a year earlier, the Economy Ministry said. Imports in March plunged by 15 percent from a year earlier to 19.653 billion euros while exports grew two percent to 20.288 billion euros.

Spain registers 1st monthly trade surplus since 1971

Agencia EFEMay 17, 2013 10:48

Madrid, May 17 (EFE).- Spain posted a monthly trade surplus of 634.9 million euros (roughly $820 million) in March, its first since records began to be kept in 1971, the Economy Ministry said Friday. That monthly surplus caused the country's accumulated trade deficit for the year to fall by 62 percent to 4.05 billion euros. Spain's first-quarter exports were valued at 56.59 billion euros, up 3.9 percent relative to the same three-month period of 2012, while imports fell 6.9 percent to 60.63 billion.

Strong Italian trade data driven by exports

Agence France-PresseMay 16, 2013 05:45

Italy reported a strong trade surplus for March on Thursday with the country's export machine picking up pace, driven by trade with non-EU countries. The statistics institute Istat said that Italy achieved a trade surplus of 3.2 billion euros ($4.1 billion) in March, with exports up 1.2 percent on a month, while imports were up 0.2 percent. Exports were up 2.0 percent for non-EU countries and 0.4 percent for countries within the EU.

China April export growth seen edging up from low base

Thomson ReutersMay 7, 2013 13:21

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's annual export growth may have picked up slightly in April due to a low comparison from a year ago, while import growth probably eased, a Reuters poll showed, suggesting the underlying momentum for both the domestic and global economies remains tepid. Economists said the likely uptick in the year-on-year export figure cannot mask weakness in real external demand, given the patchy recovery in the U.S. and no quick turnaround for the euro zone.

US trade deficit shrinks to $38.8 bn in March

Agence France-PresseMay 2, 2013 11:16

The US trade deficit shrank 11 percent in March from February as consumer goods imports fell, government data released Thursday showed. The Commerce Department reported the trade gap narrowed to $38.8 billion, from a revised $43.6 billion in February, the second month in a row that the deficit narrowed. A sharp drop in imports reduced the gap in March as consumer spending declined, a further sign of a slowdown in the economy. Imports totaled $223.1 billion, down from $229.6 in February.

Exports, imports both rose in March, producing trade surplus: StatsCan

The Canadian PressMay 2, 2013 10:15

OTTAWA - Statistics Canada says booming exports produced a trade surplus of $24 million in March, compared with a $1.2-billion deficit in February. The change came as merchandise exports increased 5.1 per cent to $40.5 billion while imports rose just 1.7 per cent, to $40.4 billion. Export gains were recorded in all sectors in March, while the main contributors to higher imports were energy products and metal and non-metallic mineral products.

March U.S. trade deficit falls 11.0% to $38.83 bil., down for 2nd month

Kyodo News InternationalMay 2, 2013 10:00

The U.S. deficit in global trade of goods and services in March fell 11.0 percent from the previous month to $38.83 billion for the second consecutive month of decline due partly to a drop in crude oil imports, Commerce Department data showed Thursday. The politically sensitive trade deficit with China dived 23.6 percent to $17.89 billion, with imports from the emerging economy falling 16.5 percent to $27.32 billion. U.S. exports to China climbed 1.4 percent to $9.44 billion.

US trade deficit shrinks to $38.8 bn in March

Agence France-PresseMay 2, 2013 09:30

The US trade deficit shrank 11 percent in March from February as oil and consumer goods imports fell, government data released Thursday showed. The Commerce Department reported the trade gap narrowed to $38.8 billion, from a revised $43.6 billion in February, the second month in a row that it shrank. A sharp drop in imports reduced the gap in March. Imports totaled $223.1 billion, down from $229.6 in February. Exports also declined, to $184.3 billion from $186.0 billion the prior month.

US trade deficit drops to $38.8 billion in March as flow of crude oil falls to 17-year low

The Canadian PressMay 2, 2013 09:01

WASHINGTON - The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in March for a second month as the daily flow of imported crude oil dropped to the lowest level in 17 years. The deficit with China hit a three-year low. The overall trade deficit decreased to $38.8 billion, an 11 per cent drop from February's $43.6 billion, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Indian exports decline despite weak currency

Agence France-PresseApril 18, 2013 06:16

India's exports contracted in the financial year which has just ended, despite a sharp decline in the value of the rupee and efforts to turn the country into a manufacturing hub, data showed Thursday. Exports in the 2012/13 financial year fell by 1.76 percent on an annual basis to $300 billion, stretching the trade deficit to $190.91 billion. "Despite the competitive advantage of a depreciation of our currency, our exports have not performed better," Commerce Secretary S.R. Rao lamented at a press conference called to announce the figures.