Istanbul – Compared to the previous month, June 2015 registered a slight decrease in value for exports (-0.6%), while imports grew by +4.3%. According to ISTAT, the decrease in exports is due to the fall in sales towards non-EU markets (-1.9%), while sales towards EU markets grew by 0.5%. The fall in exports extends to all main product bundles, except for intermediary goods (0.3%) and energy goods (3.2%). The growth in imports compared to May 2015 is registered across the board, from EU to non-EU markets, respectively at 3.5% and 5.4%. Compared to June 2014, export value grew by 9.4%, given sales towards the EU (10.1%) and non EU-markets (8.7%) in June 2015. Median and volume values grew respective by 2.3% and 7%, while import values compared to the previous year grew by 12.2%, generated mainly by the EU market (14.3%), with a still considerable contribution from non-EU markets (9.4%). Year-on-year data for both imports and exports indicates a 5.6% growth in exports and an 8.5% growth in imports. The trade balance for June is +2.8 billion (compared to +3.3 billion in June 2014). Year-on-year data also highlights sustained growth for Belgium (+37,6%), Turkey (+27,0%) and USA (+21,5%), as well as a sharp fall for sales towards Russia (-25,3%). A particularly prosperous sector is cars and vehicles (+34,5%). (9Colonne)