France Trade Deficit Narrows More Than Expected

France’s trade deficit narrowed to €5.8 billion in June 2026 from €7.9 billion in May, smaller than the expected €6.5 billion, as exports rose while imports declined. Exports rose 2.6% month-on-month to €54.5 billion, led by natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (+22.1%), transport equipment (+3.2%), and mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+1.3%). By destination, exports increased to the Middle East (+28.4%), Africa (+12.3%), the Americas (+3.1%) and Asia (+2.3%), while shipments to the EU fell 1.2%. Meanwhile, imports fell 0.9% to €60.4 billion, as lower purchases of transport equipment (-5.2%), natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (-7.7%), and refined petroleum products (-3.7%) partially offset higher purchases of mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+4.8%). By origin, imports rose from Asia (+5.1%) and the Americas (+1.2%), while declining from the EU (-0.4%), Africa (-3.0%) and the Middle East (-34.0%).

France's trade deficit widened to €6.9 billion in May 2026 from €5.4 billion in April, exceeding expectations of a €5.2 billion shortfall. This marked the largest trade gap since April 2025, as exports fell 2.0% month-on-month to €53.6 billion, weighed down by lower shipments of mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (-4.4%) and natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (-4.5%). By destination, exports declined to the EU (-0.9%), Africa (-17.0%), and the Americas (-3.2%), while rising to Asia (+9.9%) and the Middle East (+14.4%). Meanwhile, imports increased 0.7% to €60.5 billion, driven by higher purchases of refined petroleum products (+10.2%), transport equipment (+3.9%), other industrial products (+1.1%), and mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+1.0%). By origin, imports rose from the EU (+1.1%) and the Middle East (+38.4%), remained broadly unchanged from Asia, and declined from the Americas (-3.8%) and Africa (-8.8%).

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%).