Trade surplus up 33% to €3.8bn

IRELAND’s trade surplus grew by 33% to €3.83 billion in February on the back of a continuing strong export performance.

The seasonally adjusted trade surplus comfortably topped the forecast €40bn mark in 2010 (eventually coming in at €44bn) and is tipped to pass the €50bn mark this year.

February’s total — up from January’s €2.9bn — benefited from an 11% month-on-month increase in the value of Irish exports, to just over €8bn. Import value, over the same timeframe, fell 3% to €4.26bn.