Romania's foreign trade deficit widens by 1.3 billion euros in H1 2019

Romania's H1 2019 FOB exports totalled 34.894 billion euros, while CIF imports were standing at 42.586 billion euros, giving a foreign trade deficit of 7.692 billion euros, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Friday. Exports increased by 2.7pct in the first half of 2019, while imports were up 5.7pct. Trade balance deficit (FOB/CIF) widened by 1.377 billion euros. In June 2019, FOB exports totalled 5.559 billion euros, and CIF imports totalled 6.69 billion euros, giving a deficit of 1.131 billion euros. Compared with June 2018, exports decreased by 5.5pct and imports by 6.9pct. Between January and June 2019, important shares in the composition of exports and imports were held by transport machinery and equipment (48.2pct of exports and 37.3pct of imports), and other manufactured products (32.2pct of exports and 30.2pct of imports). The value of intra-EU 28 trade in goods in the first six months of 2019 was 26.917 billion euros in shipments and 31.941 billion euros in imports, making up 77.1pct of total exports and 75pct of total imports. The value of extra-EU 28 trade in goods was 7.977 billion euros in exports and 10.645 billion euros in imports, making up 22.9pct of total exports and 25pct of total imports. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Nicoleta Gherasi; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)