BRATISLAVA, March 11, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovakia’s trade balance in the first month of 2011 was positive EUR 136 million. Compared with the same period a year ago, January trade balance improved EUR 82.4 million, according to preliminary data disclosed by the Slovak Statistics Office. Total exports reached EUR 4.17 billion in the first month of the year, up 35.4 percent y/y. Imports swelled 33.3 percent y/y to EUR 4.034 billion. In 2010, foreign trade posted a surplus of EUR 137.5 million.
Slovakia’s trade balance posted a deficit of EUR 241.8 million in the twelfth month of last year, according to the revised data of the Statistics Office. Preliminary data showed December deficit at EUR 193 million. According to the revised data for the whole of 2010, trade balance posted a surplus of EUR 137.5 million, as opposed to the previously reported EUR 209.3 million.
In December, total exports went up 23.4 percent to EUR 4.04 billion compared with the same period a year ago. Last year, exports totaled EUR 48.791 billion, up 22.8 percent y/y. Considering the structure of exported goods, the Statistics Office reported a significant growth of exports of passenger cars and other motor vehicles designed for transport of passengers, namely by EUR 1.501 billion. The biggest drop was posted in exports of products of construction joinery and carpentry from timber, of EUR 56.3 million.
Considering Slovakia’s most important trade partners, exports to Germany swelled 19.8 percent, to the Czech Republic 29.3 percent, to Poland 27.8 percent, to France 8.9 percent, to Austria 38.4 percent, to Hungary and the Netherlands 20 percent, to Italy 14.1 percent, to the Russian Federation 35.9 percent, and to Spain 31.1 percent. The volume of exports to the U.K. declined 2.5 percent.
In December, total imports swelled 28.4 percent y/y to EUR 4.282 billion. In the January-December period, imports totaled EUR 48.654 billion, up 25.5 percent. With regard to the structure of imported goods, motor vehicle parts, components and appliances posted the highest increase of EUR 1.059 billion. The biggest drop was posted in imports of equipment for funfairs, games, gambling and casinos of EUR 46.5 million.
Considering most important trade partners, imports from Germany went up 26.3 percent, from the Czech Republic 17.7 percent, from the Russian Federation 34.3 percent, from South Korea 44.8 percent, from China 32.1 percent, from Hungary 10.9 percent, from Poland 30.8 percent, from France 2.9 percent, and from Italy 8 percent.
SITA
