16.08.201805:20:00UTC+00Eurozone Trade Surplus Falls Slightly In June

Euro area trade surplus decreased for a third straight month in June, albeit slightly, preliminary data from Eurostat showed Thursday.

The seasonally adjusted trade surplus fell to EUR 16.7 billion from EUR 16.9 billion in May. Economists had expected the figure to remain unchanged at May's level. Exports rose 1.6 percent month-on-month and imports grew 1.8 percent.

On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the trade surplus decreased to EUR 22.5 billion from EUR 25.7 billion in the same month last year.

Compared to a year ago, exports grew 5.7 percent and imports rose 8.6 percent. In the first half of the year, Eurozone trade surplus was EUR 100.7 billion versus EUR 103.7 billion last year. Exports increased 3.1 percent and imports rose 3.8 percent.