The Italian trade balance improved in April. According to Istat, in fact, he registered a surplus of 1,9 billion, a summary of the 1,5 billion surplus towards non-EU countries and the 0,4 billion surplus towards EU countries. The figure is a clear improvement compared to the deficit of 0,3 billion in the same month of 2012. Net of the energy sector, the April balance would be positive for 6,5 billion euro.
Again according to Istat, a marked increase in exports was recorded in April, + 4,4% on an annual basis, while imports fell by 2,6%. The increase on an annual basis in exports is due to a growth of 3,1% towards the EU area and 6,1% towards the non-EU area: the increase in sales of pharmaceutical, chemical and medicines and botanicals, +29,2%.
The decrease in imports, on the other hand, is the synthesis of a marked decrease from non-EU countries (-10,3%) and an increase from EU countries (+4,5%). Among the sectors, the purchases of products from the extraction of minerals from quarries and mines contracted sharply.
Compared to March, it should be noted a 0,9% decrease in imports, with a marked decrease towards EU countries (-1,4%) compared to non-EU markets. Exports, on the other hand, remained stationary.
