In February, exports to non-EU countries confirmed their growth on a monthly basis, driven above all by the sales of non-durable consumer goods. Imports continue to decrease, the cyclical decline of which is mainly due to the reduction in purchases of energy products, favorably conditioned by the widespread reductions in prices.
This was announced by ISTAT according to which it is estimated that, for trade with non-EU27 countries, there will be a cyclical increase for exports (+1.7%) and a decline for imports (-1.8%).
The increase on a monthly basis in exports is mainly explained by the increase in sales of non-durable consumer goods (+9.6%) and energy (+25.9%). Exports of intermediate goods (-9.2%) and consumer durables (-3.6%) decreased. For imports, the cyclical decline is substantially due to the contraction in energy purchases (-6.7%).