In February, the Italian export grew on an annual basis by 22,7% (data Istat), with a strong increase in sales both to the EU area (+24,0%) and to non-EU markets (+21,1%). Imports recorded a more marked trend increase (+44,9%), which involves both the EU area (+28,3%) and, to a much wider extent, the non-EU area (+69,6 %). Among the sectors that have contributed the most are: base metals and metal products, excluding machinery and plants (+24,4%), chemicals and substances (+34,1%), products food, drink and tobacco (+ 23,1%) and refined petroleum products (+98,5%). On an annual basis, the countries that provided the greatest contributions to the increase in national exports were Germany (with an increase of +21,3%), USA (+ 24,4%), France (+ 16,0%) and Spain (+ 33,3%).
However, in the same month the trade deficit amounted to 1.662 million euros, compared with a surplus of 4.750 million in the same period of 2021. Furthermore, the energy deficit (-7.263 million) is much larger than a year earlier (-2.213 million). The surplus in the trade of non-energy products thus decreased to 5.600 million, from 6.964 million in February 2021. And import prices grew by 1,6% on a monthly basis and by 18,5% on a monthly basis. annual.
In this context, there are interesting developments in three sectors: cosmetics, jewelery and optics.
Beauty
According to the data of the Center for Cosmetic Studies in Italy, published on the occasion of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, the beauty sector has returned to growth at a rapid pace in the last year, aiming to reach pre-covid performance. In 2021, the global turnover of the Italian cosmetics sector exceeded 11,8 billion euros, up by +9,9% compared to 2020. A sustained recovery came precisely on the export front, for a value of more than 4,8 billion (+13,8%). The impact on the trade balance was positive with a value of 2.750 million. The signals from the Italian market were also good, exceeding 10,6 billion with an increase of 8,8% compared to 2020.
goldsmith's
Even the numbers of the goldsmith industry in 2021 record a very positive performance, with exports increasing to 7,5 billion and growth forecasts for 2022 encouraging despite the war in Ukraine. According to the report of Goldsmiths' Club-Intesa Sanpaolo, 2021 was an excellent year for the sector with largely positive economic performance and growth estimates. Furthermore, the study highlighted how 2021 was also a turning point for the goldsmith sector with interesting pushes towards innovation, primarily digital. The project stands out among the most interesting novelties Live Gold, a digital platform that promotes businesses in the Arezzo area, the largest gold district in Europe.
Optical
Finally, according to an analysis by Anfao, the outlook of the Italian eyewear sector remains positive also in 2022, but slows down its run. According to the data in the report, 2021 closed with a production of 4,17 billion, up by +35% on 2020 and by +4,5% on 2019, to which the export of frames, eyewear contributed sunglasses and lenses which grew by +39,2% over the year of the pandemic and by +3,4% over the two-year period, slightly exceeding 4 billion. For 2022, considering the current difficult scenario, forecasts call for an increase of around +4-5% for both production and exports. In detail, it should be noted that foreign sales in the first 6 months of the year will register a +9-10% compared to 2021 and a growth of only +0,5% in the second half of 2022. If on the one hand the negative there will be a significant reduction in purchases by the Russians, in Italy and in Europe as a result of the war, expenses for gas and electricity have doubled, which will have an impact on the balance sheets of companies together with the increases in transport, logistics and packaging .
