Euro area reports trade surplus for September

The euro area reported a trade surplus for the month of September, according to a report by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The first estimate for the euro area trade balance was 2.9 billion euros in September, compared with a deficit of 5.0 billion in August. Trade surplus was 1.4 billion in the same period last year.

Exports rose by 0.6 percent sequentially, while imports fell 2.5 percent during the month, the report said.

Trade deficit in the extra-EU27 region was 11.7 billion euros in September, narrowed than 17.7 billion euro deficit in August. Trade deficit was 10.5 billion euros during the same period last year.

Exports in the extra-EU27 rose 0.7 percent, while imports fell 1.5 percent from the previous month.

The largest surplus was seen in Germany during the January to August period at 96.7 billion euros, followed by Ireland at 27.8 billion.

The United Kingdom had the largest deficit at 74.1 billion euros, followed by France at 40.1 billion euros.