France Trade Deficit Narrows in April

2026-06-05 06:57 By Kyrie Dichosa 1 min. read

France’s trade deficit narrowed to €5.6 billion in April 2026 from €6.4 billion in March, and below the expected €6.5 billion shortfall.

This reflects exports rising 3.1% month-on-month to €54.6 billion, driven by transport equipment (+5.9%), mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+5.8%), and other industrial products (+0.2%), while declines were seen in natural hydrocarbons (-8.7%), and agri-food industries (-1.1%).

By region, exports increased to the European Union (+1.1%), Asia (+2.7%), the Americas (+0.6%), Africa (+0.4%), and the Middle East (+8.7%).

Meanwhile, imports rose at a softer 1.5% to €60.2 billion, driven by higher purchases of natural hydrocarbons (+5.4%) and other industrial products (+2.5%), while transport equipment (-2.8%) and refined petroleum products (-3.3%) declined.

Imports rose from Africa (+20.4%), Asia (+6.1%), and the Americas (+2.4%), while falling sharply from the Middle East (-60.7%) and edging lower from the European Union (-0.2%).



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France Trade Deficit Narrows in April
France’s trade deficit narrowed to €5.6 billion in April 2026 from €6.4 billion in March, and below the expected €6.5 billion shortfall. This reflects exports rising 3.1% month-on-month to €54.6 billion, driven by transport equipment (+5.9%), mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+5.8%), and other industrial products (+0.2%), while declines were seen in natural hydrocarbons (-8.7%), and agri-food industries (-1.1%). By region, exports increased to the European Union (+1.1%), Asia (+2.7%), the Americas (+0.6%), Africa (+0.4%), and the Middle East (+8.7%). Meanwhile, imports rose at a softer 1.5% to €60.2 billion, driven by higher purchases of natural hydrocarbons (+5.4%) and other industrial products (+2.5%), while transport equipment (-2.8%) and refined petroleum products (-3.3%) declined. Imports rose from Africa (+20.4%), Asia (+6.1%), and the Americas (+2.4%), while falling sharply from the Middle East (-60.7%) and edging lower from the European Union (-0.2%).
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France Trade Gap Widens More Than Expected
France’s trade deficit widened to €5.8 billion in February 2026 from an upwardly revised €2.0 billion in February and above the expected €2.4 billion. Exports fell 0.9% month-on-month to €51.0 billion, weighed down by lower shipments of agricultural products (-2.8%), mechanical and electrical equipment (-0.5%), and natural hydrocarbons (-25.7%), while gains were seen in refined petroleum (+15.8%) and other industrial products (+1.7%). By region, exports fell to Asia (-8.1%) and the European Union (-0.6%), but rose to Africa (+5.6%), the Americas (+6.4%), and the Middle East (+2.2%). Meanwhile, imports increased 5.0% to €58.5 billion, driven by higher purchases of mechanical and electrical equipment (+5.7%), transport equipment (+7.6%), and natural hydrocarbons (+23.1%), though refined petroleum imports fell (-5.4%). Imports grew from Africa (+10.0%), the Americas (+7.7%), and Asia (+5.0%), while flows from the Middle East (+1.2%) and the EU (+3.3%) rose moderately.
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