Trade surplus slips 1% but exports set to grow

Ireland’s seasonally adjusted trade surplus slipped by 1% to €3.8bn in February, although another strong export performance is anticipated for 2015, as a whole.

Latest preliminary CSO figures, released yesterday, showed a 3% – or €238m – monthly rise in export value to just over €8.5bn for February. A marginally higher (6%) increase in import performance, for the month, pushed the trade surplus down by €34m. February’s surplus reduction came after a more pronounced 11% drop from December to January.

Nevertheless, commentators are upbeat about Ireland’s external trade outlook for the current year.