In June, Italy's trade balance rose to +3,6 billion euros against +2,8 billion in the same month last year. This was communicated by Istat, specifying that the overall surplus is the result of a surplus both with non-EU countries (+2,5 billion) and with EU ones (+1,1 billion). Net of energy, the balance is positive for 8,3 billion. Furthermore, in the first half of the year, the positive balance reached 12,3 billion and, net of energy products, was close to 40 billion.
Also in June, there was an increase in both exports (+1,2%) and imports (+1,6%) compared to the previous month. In the first six months, however, there was a "slight downward trend for exports (-0,4%)", while imports "are in marked decrease (-7%)".
The cyclical increase in exports, explains Istat, is the synthesis of a significant increase in sales to EU countries (+3,8%) and a decrease to non-EU countries (-1,7%). Durable consumer goods (+7,8%) and instrumental goods (+2,8%) are growing strongly. The cyclical increase in imports is more pronounced for purchases from non-EU countries (+2,5%) than for those from the EU area (+0,9%). The greatest increases are for energy products (+7,7%), followed by capital goods (+2,2%).
On an annual basis, however, there was a decrease both for exports (-2,7%) and, more markedly, for imports (-5,6%). The drop in imports is more marked for purchases from non-EU countries (-8,7%) while the reduction in exports is determined by an equal decrease in sales to EU countries (-2,8%) and extra EU (-2,7%). The drop in sales of refined petroleum products was significant (-27,5%). Imports from OPEC countries are "significantly decreasing" (-28,6%) and purchases of products from the extraction of minerals from quarries and mines, excluding oil and gas, are "significantly decreasing" (-21,2%).
