News

French Trade Gap Lowest since 2016
The trade deficit in France narrowed to €3.3 billion in March of 2020 from a downwardly revised €5 billion in the previous month. It is the lowest trade gap since December of 2016 as the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions pushed both imports and exports down. Imports plunged 18.5% to €38.54 billion, the lowest since October of 2010 mainly due to a 14.6% drop in industrial purchases and an 18% fall in imports of mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment. Purchases from the EU went down 19.4%. Exports plunged 16.7% to €35.19 billion, the lowest since July of 2011, also due to lower sales of industrial products (-8.4%), transport equipment (-32%) and mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment (-18.3%). Shipments to the EU dropped 18.6%. Considering Q1, exports went down 7.3% and imports 6.2%, widening the trade gap to €14.5 billion.
Published on 2020-05-07

French Trade Gap Narrows in February
France's trade deficit narrowed to EUR 5.2 billion in February 2020 from a revised EUR 6.0 billion in the previous month and compared to market expectations of a EUR 4.93 billion gap. Exports jumped 5.1 percent boosted by sales of transport equipment, mechanical equipment, electrical, electronic & IT equipment, and food industry products. Among key trade partners, exports were up to the EU (5.8 percent), Africa (19.9 percent), America (1.1 percent) and the Middle East (24.1 percent), but declined to Asia (-8.6 percent). Meanwhile, imports advanced at a softer 2.8 percent, boosted by purchases of transport equipment, mechanical equipment, electrical, electronic & IT equipment, coke & refined petroleum products, food industry products and natural hydrocarbons, other products of the extraction industries, electricity, waste. Imports were up from the EU (1.6 percent), Africa (18.9 percent) and Asia (4.1 percent), but dropped from America (-0.2 percent).
Published on 2020-04-07

France Posts Largest Trade Gap since 2018
France's trade deficit widened to EUR 5.89 billion in January of 2020 from a downwardly revised EUR 3.72 billion in the prior month. This was the widest monthly trade shortfall since August 2018, as exports declined 4% over a month earlier to a near two-year low of EUR 40.34 billion, amid lower sales of aerospace products (-29%); automotive products (-4.2%); IT, electronic and optical products (-5.4 percent) and refined petroleum products & coke (-11.1%). Among major trade partners, shipments fell mostly to Germany (-12%), China (-19.6%) and the US (-5%). Conversely, imports rose 1.1% to EUR 46.23 billion, driven by acquisitions of metallurgical and metallic products (6.6%); pharmaceutical products (19%); IT, electronic and optical products (2.8%); food (1.5 percent); refined petroleum products & coke (25%) and agricultural products (2.9%). Among major trade partners, purchases rose primarily from Italy (1%), China (0.8%), ASEAN countries (1.5%) and the US (2.6%).
Published on 2020-03-06

French Trade Gap Narrows in December
France's trade deficit narrowed to EUR 4.05 billion in December 2019 from a downwardly revised EUR 5.38 billion in the previous month and compared to market consensus of a EUR 5 billion gap. Exports fell 0.6 percent over a month earlier to EUR 41.9 billion, mainly due to lower sales of food products (-1.6%); refined petroleum products & coke (-12%); mechanical equipment & electrical (-2.5%); other industrial products (-1.8%); and agricultural products (-0.6 %). Exports were down to Africa (-13.6%) and Asia (-3%). Imports dropped 3.3 percent to EUR 46 billion, mostly due to purchases of mechanical equipment & electrical (-4.3%); food (-1.6%); agricultural products (-0.6%); other industrial products (-4.1%); and natural hydrocarbons, other products of the extractive industries, electricity, waste (-8.2%). Imports fell from the EU (-2.3%), Africa (-4.6%) and Asia (-3.3%). Considering 2019 as a whole, the country recorded a trade shortfall of EUR 58.91 billion.
Published on 2020-02-07

French Trade Deficit Largest in 5 Months
France's trade deficit widened to EUR 5.58 billion in November 2019 from a revised EUR 4.91 billion in the previous month, compared to market expectations of a EUR 5.0 billion gap. Exports dropped 2.2 percent due to sales of transport equipment (-8.2 percent), food products (-1 percent), and natural hydrocarbons, other products of the extractive industries, electricity, waste (-14.0 percent). On the other hand, exports rose for mechanical equipment, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (1.6 percent) and agricultural products (1.3 percent). Exports were down to the EU (-0.3 percent), Asia (-7.0 percent) and America (-5.8 percent). Meanwhile, imports declined at a softer 0.6 percent, led by purchases of transport equipment (-2.7 percent), mechanical equipment, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (-1.7 percent), food products (-1.4 percent) and agricultural products (-1.2 percent). Imports fell from the EU (-1.8 percent), Africa (-2.5 percent), and Asia (-1.7 percent).
Published on 2020-01-08

France Posts Smallest Trade Gap in 5 Months
The French trade deficit shrank to EUR 4.73 billion in October 2019 from a downwardly revised EUR 5.42 billion in the previous month and slightly below market expectations of a EUR 4.8 billion gap. This was the smallest trade gap since May, as exports rose 3.4 percent month-over-month to EUR 43.0 billion while imports went up at a softer 1.5 percent to EUR 47.7 billion.
Published on 2019-12-06

French Trade Gap Widens as Exports Fall
The French trade deficit widened to EUR 5.55 billion in September 2019 from an upwardly revised EUR 5.44 billion in the previous month and compared with market expectations of a EUR 4.8 billion gap. Exports fell 2.3 percent month-over-month to EUR 41.7 billion while imports dropped at a softer 1.8 percent to EUR 47.28 billion. Considering the third quarter as a whole, the country’s trade gap was recorded at EUR 16 billion compared to a EUR 14.5 deficit in the previous period.
Published on 2019-11-08

French Trade Deficit Larger than Expected
France's trade deficit widened to EUR 5.0 billion in August 2019 from a revised 4.5 billion in the previous month and above market expectations of a EUR 4.48 billion gap. Exports rose 0.8 percent and imports increased at a faster 1.8 percent.
Published on 2019-10-08

French Trade Gap Narrows in July
The French trade deficit decreased to EUR 4.6 billion in July 2019 from an upwardly revised EUR 5.3 in the previous month. Exports rose 1.1 percent month-over-month to EUR 42.2 billion while imports fell 0.4 percent to EUR 46.9 billion.
Published on 2019-09-06

French Trade Gap Widens in June
The French trade deficit rose to EUR 5.2 billion in June 2019 from EUR 3.3 billion in the prior month and compared with market expectations of EUR 4.0 billion shortfall. Exports slumped 4.9 percent month-over-month and imports decreased at a softer 0.6 percent.
Published on 2019-08-07

France Posts Smallest Trade Gap since 2017
The French trade deficit narrowed sharply to EUR 3.3 billion in May 2019 from a downwardly revised EUR 4.9 billion in the prior month and below market expectations of EUR a 4.95 billion shortfall. It was the lowest trade gap since December 2017, as exports hit a record high due to rise in shipments of military equipment, aerospace products and pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, imports advanced at a much slower 0.8 percent.
Published on 2019-07-05

French Trade Gap Narrows in April
The French trade deficit narrowed to EUR 5.0 billion in April 2019 from an upwardly revised EUR 5.5 billion in the previous month and compared with market consensus of a EUR 4.9 billion. Exports fell 1.9 percent month-over-month and imports dropped at a faster 2.7 percent.
Published on 2019-06-07

France Trade Gap Widens More than Expected in March
The French trade deficit widened to EUR 5.3 billion in March 2019 from an upwardly revised EUR 4.1 billion in the previous month and compared to market expectations of a EUR 4.5 billion gap. Exports rose 1.1 percent month-over-month and imports went up at a faster 3.6 percent. Considering the first quarter of the year, the country posted a EUR 13.7 billion trade gap compared to a EUR 14.7 billion shortfall in the same period of 2018.
Published on 2019-05-07

French Trade Gap Narrows in February
The French trade deficit narrowed to EUR 4.0 billion in February 2019 from EUR 4.2 billion in the previous month, compared to market expectations of a EUR 4.7 billion gap. Exports rose 0.9 percent to EUR 42.9 billion while imports increased at a softer 0.4 percent to EUR 46.9 billion.
Published on 2019-04-05

French Trade Deficit Widens in January
The French trade deficit widened to EUR 4.2 billion in January 2019 from a revised EUR 3.6 billion in the previous month, compared to market expectations of a EUR 4.9 billion gap. Exports fell 1 percent while imports rose 0.4 percent.
Published on 2019-03-08

French Trade Gap Narrows Slightly in December
The French trade deficit narrowed slightly to EUR 4.7 billion in December 2018 from a downwardly revised EUR 4.8 billion in November and compared with market expectations of a EUR 4.0 billion shortfall. Exports rose 2.2 percent month-over-month and imports increased 1.7 percent.
Published on 2019-02-07

French Trade Gap Widens in November as Exports Fall
The French trade deficit narrowed slightly to EUR 5.1 billion in November 2018 from EUR 4.1 billion in the previous month and compared with market expectations of a EUR 6.0 billion gap. Exports dropped 4.4 percent month-over-month and imports declined 1.8 percent.
Published on 2019-01-08

French Trade Deficit Narrows in October as Exports Jump
The French trade deficit decreased to EUR 4.1 billion in October 2018 from a downwardly revised EUR 5.4 billion in the previous month and below market consensus of a EUR 6.0 billion gap. Exports jumped 6.2 percent to an all-time high and imports climbed at a softer 2.5 percent, also reaching a record.
Published on 2018-12-07

French Trade Gap Narrows Slightly in September
The French trade deficit decreased to EUR 5.66 billion in September 2018 from an upwardly revised EUR 5.70 billion shortfall in the previous month and below market consensus of a EUR 6.1 billion gap. Imports declined 1.6 percent while exports fell at a faster 1.8 percent.
Published on 2018-11-08

France Trade Gap Widens Sharply in August
The French trade deficit widened sharply to EUR 5.6 billion in August 2018 from a revised 3.4 billion in the previous month and way above market consensus of a EUR 4.5 billion gap. Imports jumped 4.9 percent to a near-record of EUR 47.0 billion while exports were almost unchanged at EUR 41.3 billion.
Published on 2018-10-05