Foreign trade

Istat presents data on Italy’s foreign trade as well as unit value and volume indices (base year 2005=100) referring to October 2012. The results of the flash estimates on extra-EU trade for October 2012 were disseminated on November 22^th.

• Compared to the previous month, the percentage change of export in October is 0,0% reflecting an increase in sales for non-European markets (+0.7%) and a decrease for European markets (-0.6%). The rise in imports (0.8%) is due to the growth in purchases by non-European countries (+1.1%). In the quarter (August-October 2012), exports growth (+1.4%) is mainly due to an increase in sales to EU countries (+2.0%). The increase in import (+0.5%) is due to an increase of purchases of goods from non-EU countries (+1.5%).

• In October 2012, compared with the same month of the previous year, export increased by 12.0% and was due to a rise in purchases for both markets: EU (+7.9%) and non EU (+17,2%). The growth of imports (+0.9%) is due to non EU countries (+2.3%). In October, trade balance amounted to +2.5 billion euros: +1.0 billion for EU countries and +1.5 billion for non-EU countries. Net of energy products, the balance was 7.6 billion euros.