Italy recorded a trade surplus of €1.09 billion in January 2026, a sharp reversal from a €0.29 billion deficit in the same month last year, as imports fell much faster than exports. However, the figure fell short of market expectations of a €5.6 billion surplus. Imports declined 7.4% year-on-year to €45.41 billion, largely due to reduced purchases of manufacturing products (-4.4%) and basic metals (-4.9%). Imports from non-EU countries (-13.9%) dropped more sharply than those from EU countries (-2.0%). Exports fell 4.6% to €46.50 billion, weighed down by lower sales of manufacturing goods (-4.6%) and machinery and equipment, nec (-7.3%). Among key trading partners, exports to France (-7.5%), the US (-6.7%), Germany (-4.8%), and the UK (-12.3%) declined, while shipments to Switzerland (15.5%), China (14.6%), and Austria (5.1%) increased. source: National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)

Italy recorded a trade surplus of 1089.38 EUR Million in January of 2026. Balance of Trade in Italy averaged 1353.87 EUR Million from 1991 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 9550.66 EUR Million in July of 2020 and a record low of -9558.37 EUR Million in August of 2022. This page provides the latest reported value for - Italy Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Italy Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.

Italy recorded a trade surplus of 1089.38 EUR Million in January of 2026. Balance of Trade in Italy is expected to be 4410.00 EUR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Italy Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 4900.00 EUR Million in 2027 and 5400.00 EUR Million in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-17 09:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Dec €6.037B €5.056B €4.5B €4.5B
2026-03-20 09:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Jan €1.089B €5.993B €5.6B €5.1B
2026-04-17 08:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Feb €1.089B


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade 1089.38 5993.22 EUR Million Jan 2026
Exports 46498.00 51725.00 EUR Million Jan 2026
Imports 45409.00 45732.00 EUR Million Jan 2026
Terms of Trade 110.10 109.60 points Jan 2026
Tourist Arrivals 28688650.00 29232990.00 Persons Jan 2026


Italy Balance of Trade
Italy consistently records trade surpluses, although soaring energy costs in 2022 inflated the price of purchases and drove the Italian economy to import more than it exports during a short period. Italy’s main exports include base metals, chemicals, transportation equipment, and pharmaceutical goods, while the main imports are machinery and energy. The largest exporting partners are France, Germany, and the United States, while the main importing partners are Germany, France, China, and OPEC nations.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
1089.38 5993.22 9550.66 -9558.37 1991 - 2026 EUR Million Monthly
Current Prices, NSA

News Stream
Italy Trade Balance Swings to Surplus
Italy recorded a trade surplus of €1.09 billion in January 2026, a sharp reversal from a €0.29 billion deficit in the same month last year, as imports fell much faster than exports. However, the figure fell short of market expectations of a €5.6 billion surplus. Imports declined 7.4% year-on-year to €45.41 billion, largely due to reduced purchases of manufacturing products (-4.4%) and basic metals (-4.9%). Imports from non-EU countries (-13.9%) dropped more sharply than those from EU countries (-2.0%). Exports fell 4.6% to €46.50 billion, weighed down by lower sales of manufacturing goods (-4.6%) and machinery and equipment, nec (-7.3%). Among key trading partners, exports to France (-7.5%), the US (-6.7%), Germany (-4.8%), and the UK (-12.3%) declined, while shipments to Switzerland (15.5%), China (14.6%), and Austria (5.1%) increased.
2026-03-20
Italy Trade Surplus Largest in Five Months
Italy’s trade surplus widened to €6.0 billion in December 2025, the largest in five months, up from €5.2 billion a year earlier and above expectations of €4.5 billion. Exports rose 4.9% year-on-year to €51.6 billion, driven mainly by higher sales of base metals (+27.8%) and transportation equipment (+25.2%). Shipments increased notably to Switzerland (+41.7%), ASEAN countries (+48.0%), Poland (+18.9%), and France (+5.4%), but declined to Turkey (-17.0%), the UK (-8.7%), and the Netherlands (-9.7%). Meanwhile, imports grew 3.4% to €45.6 billion, reflecting higher purchases of pharmaceuticals (+30.6%), agricultural goods (+21.3%), and base metals (+46.0%). Imports rose primarily from Belgium (+18.7%), Romania (+19.6%), North America (+59.5%), and Central and South America (+32.8%), while falling from Russia (-72.2%) and OPEC countries (-36.5%). For 2025 as a whole, Italy’s trade surplus stood at €50.7 billion, as exports increased 3.3% and imports grew 3.1%.
2026-02-17
Italy’s Trade Surplus Widens in November
Italy’s trade surplus widened to €5.08 billion in November 2025, up from €3.39 billion a year earlier, slightly below market expectations of €5.2 billion. Exports edged 0.1% lower, weighed down by sharp declines in other manufacturing (-19.7%), refining (-31.3%), electronics (-12.1%), other transportation (-8.2%), and chemicals (-2.5%), partly offset by gains in metals (17.0%), pharmaceuticals (6.1%), machinery (3.2%), and motor vehicles (9.1%). Exports fell to major partners including Turkey (-40.5%), the UK (-16.2%), ASEAN (-21.5%), the US (-2.9%), and the Netherlands (-9.7%), while rising to OPEC (18.9%), Switzerland (12.2%), and Belgium (9.4%). Imports fell 3.5%, driven by lower purchases of pharmaceuticals (-25.6%), crude oil (-39.5%), and natural gas (-17.3%), with declines from OPEC (-34.6%), Belgium (-11.0%), the US (-8.2%), Switzerland (-14.1%), and China (-4.2%).
2026-01-15