Foreign trade brakes sharply in September, with the exports which recorded a drop of 2% compared to August and of 4,2% compared to September 2011, a figure that represents the sharpest drop since December 2009. This was communicated by Istat, which also reports the sharp slowdown in imports, down 4,2% MoM and 10,6% YoY. The decline, if we consider the volumes (and not the value flows) is even more marked: -7,8% for exports and -15,3% for imports.
The contraction in exports was equally intense towards both outlet areas: -2,1% for EU markets and -2,0% for non-EU markets. The increase in sales of durable consumer goods (+1%) was not enough to offset the decline in capital goods (-4,5%) and energy products (-2,3%). As far as imports are concerned, however, the decrease in EU countries (-4,4%) is relatively more significant than in non-EU countries (-3,9%). Weighs, in the calculation the collapse of purchases of capital goods (-9,7%).
In comparison with the month of September 2011, there was a drop in sales particularly marked for China (-18,8%), Mercosur countries (-13,7), Romania (-13,6%), Spain (-12,8. 10,3%) and Germany (-19,4%), while exports to the United States (+22,9%) and ASEAN countries (+23,4%) are growing, with the strong increase in sales of refined petroleum products (+ 35,0%) which, however, is not enough to compensate for the decline in almost all sectors. Speaking of imports, purchases from Japan (-30,9%), India (-26,0%) and EDA countries (-18,0%) collapsed, while purchases from OPEC countries are growing sharply (+16,7 .XNUMX%) and Russia (+XNUMX%).
Taking into account the entire third quarter of 2012 recorded an annual growth in exports (+2,2%), while imports decreased (-6,4%).
