BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The euro area trade balance swung into deficit in January largely due to the fall in exports, data from Eurostat showed Friday.
The trade balance showed a shortfall of EUR 1.9 billion compared to a surplus of EUR 11.2 billion in December. In the same period year, the deficit totaled EUR 1.4 billion.
Exports decreased 7.6 percent from the last year in contrast to the 3.3 percent increase in December. At the same time, imports dropped 7.3 percent, reversing a 4.3 percent rise in the prior month.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports decreased 1.9 percent and imports dropped 2.8 percent in January. As a result, the trade surplus rose to EUR 12.1 billion from EUR 10.3 billion in December.
Further, data showed that the EU balance shifted to an overall deficit of EUR 5.9 billion, from a surplus of EUR 12.3 billion recorded in December.
In 2025, the EU recorded a surplus of EUR 130.0 billion, compared with EUR 140.2 billion in the previous year. The extra-EU exports of goods rose 1.9 percent, and imports grew 2.4 percent compared with 2024.
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