2010 trade surplus to top €45bn

IRELAND’S overall trade surplus for 2010 is expected to top €45 billion — with that figure potentially rising to nearly €50bn this year — following a strong close to the year, for export performance.

Latest preliminary monthly figures from the CSO — published yesterday — show that the value of Irish exports grew by 21%, on a year-on-year basis, inDecember, to €7.24bn. The corresponding value of imports was up by 9% to just over €4bn.

On a month-by-month basis, December saw a flat export performance, while imports rose by 12%. This led to a 10% fall in Ireland’s monthly seasonally adjusted trade surplus, to €3.74bn — the first time since September this figure dipped below €4bn.