The euro zone's trade surplus shrank on a year-on-year basis in September, the European Union statistics office said today.
Eurostat said the trade surplus in the 12 countries using the euro was €1.4 billion in September, up from a revised €2.2 billion deficit in August - but down from a €2.5 billion surplus a year earlier.
Seasonally adjusted data showed exports rising 0.3 per cent in September against August and imports declining 0.7 per cent. Germany was the biggest contributor to the surplus with a seasonally adjusted trade balance of €6.1 billion in September.
Ireland added €1.1 billion, Finland €800 million and Austria €600 million. But The Netherlands had a €6.9 billion seasonally adjusted trade deficit in September, and Spain had a deficit of €3.5 billion.
In trade with China, non-seasonally adjusted data for January-August showed a deficit of €45.3 billion, up from €30.7 billion in the same period of 2004, as euro zone imports surged 26 per cent and exports rose only 2 per cent.
The trade deficit with Russia, a large oil and gas exporter, rose to €19.7 billion in January-August from €12.8 billion, with imports up 32 per cent against a 19 per cent increase in exports.