Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Eurozone Trade Surplus Hits USD16.4B in July as Exports Surge


(MENAFN) Trade figures released Monday show the euro area posted a €14.2 billion ($16.4 billion) surplus in goods trade during July, while the broader EU logged a smaller €10.7 billion surplus for the month, according to official data.

Exports from the 20-nation currency bloc to non-EU markets climbed 9% year-on-year, hitting €276 billion in July, up from €253.3 billion a year earlier. Imports rose at a slightly slower pace, up 7.9% to €261.8 billion from €242.6 billion in July 2025.

Stronger surpluses in chemicals, food and beverages, and other manufactured goods fueled the gain, though a shrinking surplus in machinery and vehicles tempered the overall increase.

Zooming out, the picture looks far less favorable. Across the first seven months of 2026, the euro area's cumulative trade surplus collapsed to €17 billion — a steep drop from the €92.8 billion recorded over the same stretch in 2025. Exports edged up just 1.2% to €1.76 trillion, while imports outpaced them, growing 5.8% to €1.75 trillion. Trade within the eurozone itself grew 5% to €1.65 trillion over the period.

The wider EU saw its own July surplus narrow to €8 billion, down from €9.8 billion a year prior. Exports beyond the bloc's borders rose 7.8% to €247.1 billion, while imports grew faster still, up 9% to €239.1 billion compared with €219.5 billion in July 2025.

A weaker machinery and vehicles surplus drove most of that year-on-year slide, partly cushioned by gains in chemicals, food and drink, and a narrower shortfall in other manufactured goods.

The seven-month trend for the EU tells a starker story: a €13.8 billion deficit through July, a dramatic swing from the €84 billion surplus posted in the same period last year. Extra-EU exports slipped 0.6% to €1.56 trillion, while imports climbed 5.9% to €1.58 trillion. Trade within the EU bloc, meanwhile, expanded 6.1% to €2.58 trillion.

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