Tokyo. As at February 2016, both exports (+2.5%) and imports (+0.6%) were on an upward trend. The trade surplus is 3.9 billion euro, up 3.5 billion relative to February 2015, according to Italy’s National Institute of Statistics (Istat). The current increase concerns both main outlets, with increases of 3.3% toward markets outside the EU, and 1.8% toward markets within the EU. Consumer goods (+3.4%), capital goods (+3.2%), and semi-finished goods (+1.7%) are enjoying an upward trend. This positive signal at the monthly level, however, is attenuated by the quarterly export figures, which show a weakening of -0.7%. This trend covers all product groups, except non-durable consumer goods, which were up +0.8%. In February 2016, the increase in exports (+3.3%), attributable exclusively to the EU (+8.3%), is adjusted (+0.7%) to correct for an additional working day (21 in February 2016 vs. 20 in February 2015). The greatest increase is toward Japan (+13.6%), ASEAN countries (+12.4%) and Belgium (+10.2%). (9colonne)
