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. Balance of Trade in France averaged -1254.56 EUR Million from 1970 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 2674 EUR Million in October of 1997 and a record low of -7811 EUR Million in January of 2017.

Balance of Trade in France is expected to be -2980.00 EUR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in France to stand at -2200.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the France Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -1650.00 EUR Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.

France Balance of Trade
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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2018-09-07 06:45 AM Balance of Trade €-3.5B €-6.1B €-5.7B €-4.0B
2018-10-05 06:45 AM Balance of Trade €-5.6B €-3.4B €-4.5B €-5.2B
2018-11-08 07:45 AM Balance of Trade €-5.7B €-5.7B €-6.1B € -4.7B
2018-12-07 07:45 AM Balance of Trade €-4.1B €-5.4B €-6.0B €-4.0B
2019-01-05 07:45 AM Balance of Trade €-4.1B €-4.7B
2019-02-07 07:45 AM Balance of Trade € -3B
2019-03-07 07:45 AM Balance of Trade



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.

Exports rose 6.2 percent from a month earlier to an all-time high of EUR 43.2 billion in October as sales increased mostly for aerospace industry products (7.4 percent), automotive industry products (2.7 percent), food products (3.1 percent), chemicals (8 percent) and industrial and agricultural machinery (2.3 percent).

Among major trading partners, exports grew mostly to the US (38.7 percent), Spain (4.4 percent), Italy (1.1 percent) and the UK (9.7 percent), but declined to Germany (-1.6 percent).

Imports increased 2.5 percent to a record EUR 47.3 billion in October, driven by purchases of automotive industry products (7.3 percent); industrial and agricultural machinery (4.1 percent); computer, electronic and optical products (4.9 percent); and chemicals (5.8 percent). Contrarily, imports of natural hydrocarbons, mining products, electricity dropped 7 percent. 

Among major trading partners, imports rose mainly from China & Hong Kong (9.5 percent) and Spain (10.5 percent), while there were falls from Germany (-1 percent) and Belgium (-2 percent). Imports from Italy were unchanged.


Ministère de l'Économie et des Finances | Joana Ferreira | joana.ferreira@tradingeconomics.com
12/7/2018 9:48:11 AM


Recent Releases

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

French 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 2018-10-08

France Posts Smallest Trade Gap in 7 Months
The French trade deficit narrowed to EUR 3.5 billion in July 2018 from a downwardly revised 6.1 billion in June and far below market consensus of a EUR 5.7 billion gap. It was the smallest trade deficit since December 2017, as imports fell 4.4 percent to EUR 44.8 billion while exports rose 1.2 percent to EUR 41.3 billion.
Published on 2018-09-07

France Posts Largest Trade Gap in 16 Months
The French trade deficit widened to EUR 6.2 billion in June 2018 from 6.0 billion in May and above market consensus of a EUR 5.1 billion gap. It was the largest trade deficit since February 2017 as imports hit an all-time high.
Published on 2018-08-07



France Trade Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Balance of Trade -4052.00 -5424.00 2674.00 -7811.00 EUR Million [+]
Exports 43226.00 40695.00 43226.00 1165.60 EUR Million [+]
Imports 47278.00 46119.00 47278.00 1151.90 EUR Million [+]
Current Account -684.00 -1891.00 4784.00 -6129.00 EUR Million [+]
External Debt 5157170.00 5001019.00 5157170.00 3536444.00 EUR Million [+]
Current Account to GDP -0.80 -0.90 3.40 -2.10 percent [+]
Terms of Trade 113.19 113.98 115.69 89.48 Index Points [+]
Foreign Direct Investment 17327.00 1395.00 18318.00 -8086.00 EUR Million [+]
Capital Flows 849.00 16179.00 36458.00 -31626.00 EUR Million [+]
Remittances 43.00 43.00 87.00 22.00 EUR Million [+]
Gold Reserves 2436.00 2436.00 3024.70 2435.38 Tonnes [+]
Terrorism Index 5.96 5.60 5.96 3.38 [+]
Tourism Revenues 4296.00 5850.00 7838.00 1426.00 EUR Million [+]
Tourist Arrivals 82600.00 84500.00 84500.00 75000.00 Thousand [+]
Crude Oil Production 16.00 16.00 58.00 15.00 BBL/D/1K [+]
Weapons Sales 2162.00 2278.00 4029.00 8.00 USD Million [+]

Exports by Country  |   Exports by Category  |   Imports by Country  |   Imports by Category



France Balance of Trade

Since 2004, France has been recording trade deficits due the gradual erosion of the export-oriented industry, the appreciation of the euro and the increasing dependency on imports of energy and manufactured products. In 2017, the biggest trade deficits were recorded with: China & Hong Kong, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium; while the biggest trade surpluses were recorded with: the Middle East, the UK, Africa and Switzerland. This page provides the latest reported value for - France Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. France Balance of Trade - actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases - was last updated on December of 2018.

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-4052.00 -5424.00 2674.00 -7811.00 1970 - 2018 EUR Million Monthly




Country Last Previous
Argentina 277.00 Oct/18
Australia 2316.00 Oct/18
Brazil 4062.09 Nov/18
Canada -1165.20 Oct/18
China 447.40 Nov/18
Euro Area 13141.70 Sep/18
France -4052.00 Oct/18
Germany 18300.00 Oct/18
India -17130.00 Oct/18
Indonesia -1819.90 Oct/18
Italy 1274.37 Sep/18
Japan -449.26 Oct/18
Mexico -2936.00 Oct/18
Netherlands 4949.00 Sep/18
Russia 18485.00 Sep/18
Saudi Arabia 162782.00 Jun/18
Singapore 4520.91 Oct/18
South Africa -5549.90 Oct/18
South Korea 5139.00 Nov/18
Spain -3297100.00 Sep/18
Switzerland 2637.00 Oct/18
Turkey -456.10 Oct/18
United Kingdom -3300.00 Oct/18
United States -55488.00 Oct/18


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