Eurozone trade surplus narrows in August, EU deficit widens

(Sharecast News) - The Eurozone posted a trade surplus of €1bn in August, down from €3bn a year earlier and sharply lower than both the €12.4bn recorded in July and the €6.9bn expected by economists. Initial estimates from Eurostat, the European Commission's statistical office, revealed that exports from the bloc fell 4.7% year-on-year to €205.9bn, while imports declined 3.8% to €204.9bn.

Imports from the rest of the world stood at €204.9bn, a fall of 3.8% compared with August 2024, while intra-euro area trade rose to €1.73bn in January-August, up by 1.4% versus the same period a year earlier.

"In August 2025, the euro area balance experienced a significant decline compared to July 2025, as the surplus decreased from €12.7bn to €1bn. This downturn was mainly due to a sharp reduction in the surplus of machinery and vehicles, which fell from €18bn to €7.8bn," Eurostat said on Thursday.

The wider European Union recorded a trade deficit of €5.8bn for the month, compared with a €2.4bn shortfall in August 2024. EU exports dropped 6.7% to €183.6bn, while imports fell 4.9% to €189.4bn.





Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com