ROME (dpa-AFX) - Italy's trade surplus increased in March from last year as the decline in imports exceeded the fall in exports, data from the statistical office Istat showed Thursday.
The trade surplus increased to EUR 5.69 billion from EUR 4.58 billion in the same period last year. In February, the surplus totaled EUR 6.08 billion.
Exports logged an annual fall of 13.5 percent, in contrast to a 7 percent rise in February. This was the first fall in four months.
At the same time, imports decreased 18.1 percent in March, following a 0.7 percent drop in February.
In the first quarter, exports and imports fell 4.1 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively. As a result, the trade surplus rose to EUR 16.4 billion from EUR 12.75 billion last year.
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