Foreign trade

Istat presents data on Italy’s foreign trade as well as unit value and volume indices (base year 2005=100) referring to November 2012. The results of the flash estimates on extra-EU trade for November 2012 were disseminated on December 20^th.

• Compared to the previous month, the percentage change of export in November is 0,4% reflecting an increase in sales for non-European markets (+0.9%) and a decrease for European markets (-0.1%). The decrease in imports (-2.2%) is due to the reduction in purchases by non-European countries (-3.7%). In the quarter (September-November 2012), exports decline (-0.1%) is due to the decrease in sales to EU countries (-0.7%). The drop in import (-1.9%) is mainly due to the decrease of purchases of goods from EU countries (-2.1%).

• In November 2012, compared with the same month of the previous year, export increased by 3.6% and was due to a rise in purchases for non-EU markets (+10.9%). The fall of imports (-8.2%) is due to both countries: non EU (-9.2%) and EU (-7,4%). In November, trade balance amounted to +2.4 billion euros: +0.5 billion for EU countries and +1.9 billion for non-EU countries. Net of energy products, the balance was 7.0 billion euros.