ROME: Italy’s foreign trade surplus increased in February from a year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from the statistical office Istat showed Tuesday.
The trade surplus climbed to EUR 3.1 billion in February from EUR 1.9 billion in the corresponding month last year. In January, the trade balance showed a deficit of EUR 92 million.
Exports advanced 3.9 percent year-over-year in February and imports rose at a moderate pace of 0.5 percent.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, both exports and imports registered a similar monthly decrease of 0.6 percent.
The trade balance with EU countries resulted in a surplus of EUR 1.1 billion versus EUR 164 million a year earlier. Similarly, the non-EU trade surplus increased to EUR 2.0 billion from EUR 1.7 billion.
