Trade surplus jumps 40%

IRELAND’s trade surplus jumped by more than 40% to just over €4 billion in May, on the back of a strong increase in export activity.

Latest external trade figures from the CSO show the value of exports in May increased by 8% on a monthly basis. On a year-on-year basis, export value was up by 6%.

The trade surplus – April’s figure amounted to just under €2.9bn, by comparison – was also aided by a 14% monthly decline in import value and a 9% decline, when measured by year.