EU trade surplus with U.S. expands, deficit with China larger
Published Jun 18, 2019 08:42AM ET
EU trade surplus with U.S. expands, deficit with China larger
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's trade surplus in goods with the United States increased in the first four months of 2019 while its deficit with China widened, figures that could further strain global tensions.
The European Union's surplus with the United States grew to 48.2 billion euros ($54.0 billion) in Jan-Apr 2019 from 46.0 billion euros in the same period of 2018, EU statistics office Eurostat reported on Tuesday.
With China, the EU's trade deficit expanded to 62.0 billion from 57.2 billion euros.
The United States has hit the European Union with tariffs and threatened more in complaint over the trade balance. Both Washington and Brussels have also complained that China wants free trade without playing fair.
Overall, the goods trade deficit of the 28-nation bloc increased to 21.7 billion euros in Jan-Apr 2019 from 10.3 billion a year earlier.
Energy imports were the chief cause of the deficit, especially from Russia and Norway.
For the narrower 19-country euro zone, exports grew by 5.2% year-on-year in April and imports by 6.6%, leading to a narrowing of its trade surplus to 15.7 billion euros in April from 17.1 billion a year earlier.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the euro zone's trade surplus also declined to 15.3 billion euros in April from 18.6 billion in March as exports fell by 2.5% month-on-month and imports declined by 0.9%.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.