France Trade Gap Narrows More Than Expected

France’s trade deficit narrowed to €6.1 billion in August 2026 from a revised €6.6 billion in July, coming below the expected €6.5 billion shortfall. Exports fell 0.8% month-on-month to €54.2 billion, as shipments of transport equipment (-5.7%), agricultural, forestry and fishing products (-5.4%), and other industrial products (-0.4%) declined. This was partly offset by higher refined petroleum product exports (+10.5%) and mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+2.6%). By destination, exports declined to Asia (-8.4%), the Middle East (-43.2%), and Africa (-6.3%), while increasing to the EU (+0.9%) and the Americas (+9.5%). Meanwhile, imports fell 1.5% to €60.3 billion, led by transport equipment (-3.9%), refined petroleum products and coke (-3.4%), and agricultural, forestry and fishing products (-1.8%). By origin, imports decreased from the EU (-1.2%), Asia (-0.5%), and the Middle East (-39.6%), while increasing from Africa (+6.5%) and the Americas (+1.3%).

France’s trade deficit widened to €6.7 billion in July 2026 from €5.8 billion in June, exceeding the expected €6.0 billion shortfall. Imports rose 1.8% month-on-month to €61.3 billion, driven by higher purchases of transport equipment (+6.6%), natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (+7.0%), and publishing and communication products (+13.5%). By origin, imports increased from the Middle East (+64.0%), the EU (+0.9%) and Asia (+1.2%), while declining from Africa (-6.0%) and the Americas (-1.3%). Meanwhile, exports rose at a softer 0.3% to €54.7 billion, led by natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (+14.5%), other industrial products (+1.4%), and agricultural, forestry and aquaculture products (+0.1%), while transport equipment (-0.9%) and mechanical, electronic and computer equipment (-0.4%) declined. By destination, exports increased to the EU (+3.4%) and the Middle East (+7.0%), while shipments to Africa (-4.1%), the Americas (-0.7%) and Asia (-1.6%) fell.

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%).