Czech Republic Trade Deficit Widens Sharply

The trade deficit in the Czech Republic widened sharply to CZK 8.5 billion in July 2026 from a downwardly revised CZK 3.5 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier. Imports rose 5.2% year-on-year to CZK 398.7 billion, lifted by higher purchases of forestry, logging, and other services (+29.9%), fish and other fishing products (+47.6%), crude oil and natural gas (+23.7%), and metal ores (+77.2%). Meanwhile, exports increased by 3.9% to CZK 390.2 billion, driven largely by stronger sales of agriculture, hunting, and other related products (+15.7%), tobacco products (+70.6%), textiles (+13.4%), and coke and refined petroleum products (+41.6%). In the January–July period, the trade surplus reached CZK 94.0 billion, down by CZK 32.3 billion a year earlier, as imports outpaced exports, rising 4.1% and 2.8%, respectively.

The trade surplus in the Czech Republic narrowed to CZK 15.5 billion in June 2026 from CZK 26.9 billion a year earlier, falling below market expectations of CZK 17.0 billion. Imports rose 14.9% year-on-year to a record CZK 449.2 billion, lifted by higher purchases of mineral fuels and lubricants (+27.9%), machinery and transport equipment (+19.0%), crude materials (+18.5%), animal and vegetable oils (+17.2%), and chemicals and related products (+16.6%). Meanwhile, exports grew 11.2% to CZK 464.7 billion, driven by higher sales of mineral fuels and lubricants (+82.2%), crude materials (+24.6%), beverages and tobacco (+14.4%), chemicals and related products (+13.7%), and machinery and transport equipment (+9.6%). In the first half of the year, the trade surplus reached CZK 107.8 billion, down from CZK 132.6 billion a year earlier, as imports outpaced exports, rising 6.6% and 5.2%, respectively.

The trade surplus in the Czech Republic narrowed to CZK 9.9 billion in May 2026 from CZK 10.9 billion a year earlier, coming in well above expectations of CZK 3.2 billion. Imports rose 6.0% year-on-year to CZK 405.7 billion, lifted by higher purchases of forestry and logging (+13.1%), fishing products (+21.7%), tobacco products (+13.2%), coke and refined petroleum (+59.3%), and printing and reproduction services of printed media (+28.9%). Meanwhile, exports grew 5.6% to CZK 415.6 billion, driven by higher sales of agriculture (+22.9%), metal ores (+15.3%), chemicals (+16.4%), and other transport equipment (+23.4%), partly offset by declines in coal and lignite (-43.4%), tobacco products (-20.6%), and food products (-1.4%). In the January–May period, the trade surplus reached CZK 87.7 billion, down from CZK 105.6 billion a year earlier, as imports outpaced exports, rising 5.0% and 3.8%, respectively.