adminIn seasonally-adjusted terms, exports dipped by 0,7 percent and imports were down by 0,3 percent from March levels, preliminary data from the National Statistics Institute showed.
While exports to non-European countries rose by 6,0 percent in April on a 12-month basis, a sharp drop in sales of energy products and non-food consumer goods weighed heavily on the month’s results.
The country’s trade surplus in April was 1,5 billion euros.
In a separate report published on Wednesday, the statistics agency said exports in general would drive the country’s growth recovery, with close to double-digit growth forecast in 2014.
Sales abroad are predicted to increase 9,7 percent by the end of 2014, with manufactured goods expected to rise some 10 percent and service sales set to increase by 7,5 percent, it said.
Strong trade demand from abroad has been crucial to the eurozone’s third-biggest economy, which shrank by 0,5 percent in the first quarter of 2013 in a greater slowdown than expected.
One of the main factors of growth in an economy is a trade surplus, while a trade deficit undermines any growth generated by domestic consumption, investment and government spending.
Istat said earlier this month it expected the economy to shrink by 1,4 percent this year and grow by 0,7 percent next year.— AFP.
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