Italian exports are back above the levels prior to the Covid emergency. 2021, is highlighted by the Report on foreign trade “Italy in the international economy”, now in its 35th edition and presented – together with the Istat-Ice 2021 Yearbook – at the Ice Agency, has started positively, leading Italian exports to results above pre-coronavirus levels, as can be seen from the data for the first quarter: + 19.8% trend, and, above all, + 4.2% over the same period of 2019. A trend growth that affects almost all sectors and which, for many, is also largely positive on 2019.
Istat: exports in May -2% month, + 41.9% year
A trend that is confirmed by Istat. According to the institute, in May 2021, exports recorded a decrease of 2% on April and an increase of 41.9% on May 2020. Imports showed a decrease of 0.3% on the previous month and an increase in 51.2% on a trend basis. The estimated trade balance in May 2021 is equal to +5,642 million euros (it was +5,620 in May 2020). Net of energy products, the balance is +8,632 million (it was +6,633 in May of last year).
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Growth for almost all sectors
Returning to the indications contained in the Report on foreign trade, the growth in exports is for almost all sectors: food, beverages and tobacco (+ 5.3% compared to the same period of 2020 and, even, + 12.3% on same period of 2019), the metals sector (+ 29.1% on the first quarter of 2020 and + 12% on the same period of 2019), chemical products (+ 10.2% and + 7.1% in the same period on 2019) and the electrical appliance sector (+ 31.6% compared to the same period of 2020 and + 8.2% on 2019). The survey was carried out by Ice Agenzia in collaboration with Prometeia, Istat, The European House Ambrosetti, Masi Foundation and Bocconi University.
China first outlet market: acceleration of more than 55%
As regards exports in the first quarter of this year, it is to China that Italian exports recorded the greatest growth (55.3% compared to the same period of 2020), followed by European countries (in order: Countries Netherlands and Poland, + 32.9% compared to 2020; France, + 23.2%; Spain, + 23%; Germany, + 22.6%; Belgium, + 14%), Switzerland (+ 20%) and from the United States (+ 4.5%). Only towards the United Kingdom (+ 2.6%), among the major markets, is there a slower trend, but the accumulation of pre-Brexit stocks can be a transitory reason.
World trade, recovery of pre-Covid levels by the end of the year
The prospects for a recovery in world trade are solid. The survey revises the Ice-Prometeia estimate on the trend of world imports, up to + 8.9% for this year and + 6.4% for 2022, at constant prices, confirming the recovery of pre-Covid levels by the end of the year. The greatest growth estimates will be for East Asia (+ 14.5% in 2022/2029), East Asia (+ 11.1%), Central and South America (+ 9.4%), Oceania (+ 9.2%), Central Asia (+ 8.9%) and the European Union (+ 8.2%).