Swiss Sept. Trade Surplus Exceeds Forecast

Switzerland's trade surplus beat expectations in September, the latest figures from the Federal Customs Administrations showed Tuesday.

The trade surplus for September was CHF 2.5 billion compared with an expected CHF 2 billion surplus. In the July-September period, the trade surplus was CHF 6.9 billion.

Exports grew 2.2 percent year-on-year in nominal terms to CHF 16.9 billion in September. Meanwhile, imports declined 2.6 percent to CHF 14.4 billion. In real terms, exports grew 5.3 percent annually and imports fell 0.9 percent.

In the third quarter, exports grew 0.7 percent year-on-year in real terms, while imports fell 2.2 percent.

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2013-10-22 12:42

Portugal June-August Trade Deficit Widens

Portugal's merchandise trade shortfall widened in the June-August period as imports increased at a faster pace than exports, data released by the National Statistics Institute showed Wednesday.

The balance of trade for the three months ended August was a deficit of EUR2.41 billion, bigger than the EUR2.24 billion shortfall recorded a year earlier.

Merchandise exports increased 2.3 percent annually to EUR11.63 billion at the end of August. Shipments to the European Union (EU) countries and the Non-EU market grew 2.1 percent and 2.8 percent respectively.

Imports grew 3.1 percent from last year to EUR14.04 billion in the August quarter. Purchases from the EU climbed 4.4 percent year-on-year, and those from the external market stayed unchanged.

In the month of August, Portugal's exports stayed unchanged from the preceding month, while imports decreased by 3.5 percent, data showed.

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2013-10-09 17:42

Spain's Trade Shortfall Narrows Sharply In July

Spain's merchandise trade deficit declined significantly in July, supported by strong growth in exports, data released by the Commerce Ministry showed Friday.

Net trade for the month resulted in a deficit of EUR786.7 million, which was lower by 53.5 percent than in the same month of 2012.

Export of goods increased 1.3 percent annually to EUR19.86 billion during the month, and reached the highest level since records began. Shipments to the non-Eurozone destinations advanced 8.2 percent, while dispatches to the Eurozone decreased by 4.7 percent.

Meanwhile, the value of imports decreased by 3 percent year-on-year to EUR20.65 billion in July, the agency said.

During the first seven months of 2013, exports climbed 7 percent from the same period of last year, while imports dropped 3.1 percent. The outcome was an year-on-year fall in trade deficit by 67.5 percent to EUR6.61 billion.

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2013-09-20 17:42

Day ahead in the Fx Markets

All times is GMT. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21 0830 - UK PUBLIC SECTOR BORROWINGS FOR JULY UK PSNB (ex-fin. int. ) forecast at -2. news.instaforex.com »

2013-08-21 08:15

U.K. Visible Trade Gap Narrows On Record High Exports

The U.K. visible trade deficit narrowed more-than-expected to a near 1-year low in June, thanks to record exports amid slower increase in imports.

The deficit on goods trade declined to GBP 8.1 billion in June, the lowest since July 2012, from GBP 8.7 billion in May, the report released by the Office for National Statistics showed Friday.

The decrease of GBP 0.6 billion remains within the range of normal month-on-month movement, the ONS said. The number was also below the expected GBP 8.35 billion deficit.

The visible trade deficit was partially offset by an estimated surplus of GBP 6.5 billion on services. As a result, the total trade deficit fell to GBP 1.5 billion from GBP 2.6 billion in the previous month.

Exports of goods rose by GBP 1.3 billion to a record GBP 26.9 billion in June, while imports increased by a moderate GBP 0.7 billion to GBP 35 billion.

In the second quarter, the deficit on trade in goods reduced to GBP 24.9 billion from GBP 26.5 billion in the previous quarter, the ONS said.

Exports of goods reached GBP 78.4 billion, the highest on record. Likewise, imports of good increased to GBP 103.3 billion, the strongest level since the three months to November 2011.

Exports to countries outside the EU climbed 7.5 percent to over GBP 40 billion for the first time. At the same time, exports to the EU countries gained 2.3 percent.

Looking ahead, IHS Global Insight's Chief U.K. Economist Howard Archer said the hope is that a competitive pound and gradually improving global growth increasingly supports exports.

Nonetheless, Capital Economics' economist Martin Beck said growing signs of a consumer-led recovery, as well as the increased import demand implies that the trade deficit will probably struggle to narrow further over the coming months.

Another report from ONS revealed that construction output advanced 1.4 percent sequentially in the second quarter. It was estimated to have increased by 0.9 percent, while calculating GDP figures. But the agency said the revision has no effect on initial GDP estimate.

According to preliminary estimates, the pace of economic growth doubled to 0.6 percent from 0.3 percent in the first quarter.

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2013-08-09 17:42

Mexico's Trade Balance Slips To Deficit In April

Mexico's merchandise trade balance turned to a deficit in April as shipments increased at a notably slower rate than imports, data released by statistical office INEGI showed Monday.

The balance of trade was a deficit of $1.23 billion in April, compared to the $419 million surplus recorded a year earlier.

Export of goods increased 6.4 percent annually to $32.86 billion in April. Shipments of non-oil products advanced 7.7 percent from a year earlier, while oil exports decreased by 1.7 percent.

At the same time, merchandise imports climbed 11.8 percent annually to $34.09 billion during the month. The upturn was driven by a 14.3 percent spike in oil imports and an 11.5 percent gain in arrivals of non-oil commodities.

On a monthly basis, the value of exports and imports decreased 2.22 percent and 0.54 percent respectively in April, the agency said.

In the January-April period, exports edged up 0.6 percent from the corresponding period a year earlier, while imports advanced by 4.3 percent.

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2013-05-27 19:21

Germany Cuts Planned Borrowing For 2014

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet on Wednesday approved the draft budget for 2014, lowering its net borrowing estimate to EUR 6.4 billion from EUR 17.1 billion planned for 2013.

The government aims to achieve a balanced budget in 2015 as it expects tax revenues to increase supported by a stable economy.

The budget draft showed that spending will be lowered to EUR 297 billion in 2014 from EUR 302 billion this year.

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2013-03-13 15:50

Czech Trade Surplus Falls More Than Expected In December

The Czech Republic recorded a faster-than expected fall in merchandise trade surplus in December, preliminary data released by the Czech Statistical Office showed Wednesday. news.instaforex.com »

2013-02-06 12:42

China New Yuan Loans Below Forecast

Bank lending in China was weaker than expected in December, data from the People's Bank of China showed Thursday.

Financial institutions extended CNY 454.3 billion in new local currency loans last month, less than the CNY 550 billion expected by economists. This was also below CNY 522.9 billion loans approved in November.

In 2012, total lending in local currency hit CNY 8.2 trillion, up by around CNY 732 billion year-on-year. Foreign currency loans totaled $145.1 billion in 2012.

China's social financing, a measure of liquidity in the economy, stood at CNY 15.76 trillion last year.

PBoC said the country's broad money aggregate of M2 money supply increased 13.8 percent year-on-year in December to CNY 97.42 trillion. Narrow money or M1 totaled CNY 30.87 trillion, up 6.5 percent from the same month last year.

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2013-01-10 07:02

U.K. Nov Budget Deficit Widens

The U.K. budget deficit widened to GBP 17.5 billion in November from GBP 16.3 billion a year ago, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. Economists had forecast a surplus of GBP 16 billion.

For April to November period, public sector net borrowing, excluding interventions, totaled GBP 64.7 billion, which was below last year's GBP 84.4 billion deficit.

The central government net cash requirement was GBP 12.4 billion, which was GBP 1.9 billion higher than in November 2011.

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2012-12-21 14:42

Ireland Gets $1.17 Bln IMF Loan Under Bailout Program

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday approved the disbursement of $1.17 billion to Ireland under the bailout program, saying that the country has advanced reforms and continued steadfast policy implementation even as economic growth slowed.

The lender, meanwhile, warned that the Irish government should defer any additional fiscal consolidation to 2015 to protect the recovery, if next year's growth were to disappoint.

The decision followed the completion of the eighth review of Ireland's economic performance under a program supported by a three-year loan arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility. The latest batch brings total disbursements under the program to $25.49 billion.

The arrangement is part of a financing package amounting to $111.9 billion or EUR 85 billion, which is also supported by the European Financial Stabilization Mechanism and European Financial Stability Facility, bilateral loans from Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and Ireland's own contributions.

The IMF forecasts that Ireland would comfortably meet its 8.6 percent deficit target for 2012 despite health overruns and higher social welfare spending owing to high unemployment.

The economy is expected to record a gradual recovery, with growth of 1.1 percent in 2013 and 2.2 percent in 2014, with public debt expected to peak at 122 percent of GDP in 2013, the IMF said.

"All program targets have been met and a range of fiscal, financial, and structural reforms are in train," IMF's First Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair David Lipton said.

"The Medium-Term Fiscal Statement set out a phased path for considerable further fiscal consolidation to bring the budget deficit below 3 percent by 2015."

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2012-12-18 11:12