Euro area registers unexpected trade gap in April

By Tuba Ongun

ANKARA (AA) - The eurozone trade balance posted an €11.7 billion ($12.7 billion) deficit in April while the market estimated a surplus, according to data released on Thursday.

The figure narrowed from a €34.5 billion gap in April 2022, the Eurostat said in a statement.

Euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world fell 3.6% year-on-year to €216.0 billion this April, the lowest since January 2022.

Imports plunged 11.9% from a year earlier to a 13-month low of €227.7 billion in April.

Intra-euro area trade amounted to €208.3 billion in April, falling 5.2% from the prior year.

The EU27 saw a trade deficit of €14.1 in April, down from €44.5 in the same month last year.

In January-April, the eurozone's overseas shipments totaled €940 billion while its imports were €957.2 billion. As a result, the single-currency zone recorded a deficit of €17.2 billion in the first four months of this year.