Foreign trade and import prices

Istat presents data on Italy’s foreign trade as well as unit value and volume indices (base year 2010=100) referring to September 2017.

• In September 2017 seasonally-adjusted data, compared to August 2017, decreased both for outgoing flows (-0.7%) and for incoming flows (-4.4%). Exports decreased for EU countries (-2.8%) and increased for non EU countries (+1.9%). Imports decreased for EU countries (-5.0%) and for non EU countries (-3.5%). Over the last three months, seasonally-adjusted data, in comparison with the previous three months, showed a increase for exports (+1.1%) and for imports (+0.8%).

• In September 2017, compared with the same month of the previous year, exports and imports increased (+5.7% and +5.5% respectively). Outgoing flows increased by 8.1% for non EU countries and by 4.0% for EU countries. Incoming flows increased by 6.0% for EU area and by 4.7% for non EU area. The trade balance in September amounted to +3,990 million Euros (+3,521 million Euros for non EU area and +469 million Euros for EU countries).

The import price index measures the evolution of prices for industrial products bought by industrial and commercial enterprises in Italy, both in the euro zone and the non-euro zone. Since September 2010 indices are compiled in the reference base 2010.

In September 2017 the total import price index increased by 0.6 % compared to the previous month (the index increased by 0.1% for the euro zone and by 1.0% for the non-euro zone); the total twelve-month rate of change increased by 2.4% (respectively increased by 1.6% for the euro zone and by 3.0% for the non-euro zone).

The quarterly total index decreased by 0.4% compared with the previous period, increased by 0.4% for the euro zone, increased by 1.1% for the non-euro zone.