Exports up 3% in July

Preliminary trade figures for July show exports were up 3% to €6.97bn on June 2004 and imports decreased by 2% to €4.06bn.

In addition, exports increased by 4% to €6.7bn in June 2004 and imports increased by 2% to €4.1bn relative to May 2004.

The unadjusted merchandise trade for July 2004 (preliminary) give exports of €6.96bn, an increase of 4% on the July 2003 level of almost €6.7bn, and imports of almost €3.9bn, a marginal change on the previous year.

The June exports are more than €7.6bn, an increase of €505m (+7%) on June 2003, while imports are almost €4.1bn, an increase of €426m (+12%).

Comparing the aggregate January to June 2004 figures with the same period in 2003 shows:

- Exports increased from €40.3bn to €41.9bn (+4%).

- Medical and pharmaceutical products increased from €6.8bn to €7.6bn (+13%) and professional, scientific and controlling apparatus from €1.3bn to €1.9bn (+42%) but computer equipment decreased from €7.1bn to €6.4bn (-9%).

- Imports increased from €23,598m to €24,295m (+3%). Imports from the USA increased from €3.5bn to €3.6bn (+4%) and from China from €919m to €1.3bn (+42%) while imports from Great Britain decreased from €6.7bn to €6.6bn (-1%) and from Japan from €1.15bn to €1.044bn (-9%).