Israel Trade Deficit Widens in January

Israel’s trade deficit widened to USD 3.14 billion in January 2026, from USD 2.8 billion in the same month of the previous year. Exports grew 11.4% year-on-year to USD 5.1 billion, driven mainly by higher sales in manufacturing, mining, and quarrying excluding working diamonds (10.4%), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (33.1%), wholesale of diamonds (9.7%), and working diamonds (5.9%). Meanwhile, imports surged 11.7% year-on-year to USD 8.2 billion, led by increased purchases of raw materials (6.2%), consumer goods (17.3%), investment goods (48%), and diamonds, both rough and worked (8.5%). However, imports declined for fuels (-19%).

Israel’s trade deficit widened to USD 3.25 billion in November 2025, up from USD 2.77 billion a year earlier, as imports outpaced exports. Imports surged 11.6% year-on-year to USD 8.37 billion, driven by higher purchases of raw materials (+12.6%), consumer goods (+10.4%), investment goods (+18.6%), and rough and working diamonds (+50.7%). Exports rose 8.2% to USD 5.13 billion, supported by increased shipments of manufactured and mined goods (+5.9%), agricultural products (+20.1%), and working diamonds (+68.6%). For the first eleven months of 2025, the trade gap expanded to USD 35.31 billion, compared with USD 29.90 billion over the same period in 2024.

Israel’s trade deficit remained largely unchanged at USD 3.17 billion in September 2025, compared with USD 3.16 billion a year earlier. Imports fell 0.8% to USD 7.86 billion, weighed down by declines in raw materials and fuels, while exports slipped 1.4% to USD 4.70 billion, dragged by manufacturing and mining sectors. For the first nine months of 2025, the trade deficit widened to USD 28.93 billion, up from USD 23.97 billion over the same period in 2024, as a sharp increase in imports was accompanied by a slight decrease in exports.