Stats: Slovakia Posted Trade-balance Surplus of €328 million in November 2024

Bratislava, January 6 (TASR) - Slovakia posted a positive trade-balance in November 2024 with a surplus amounting to €327.9 million, according to preliminary figures released by the Statistics Office on Thursday. Although foreign trade decreased month-on-month (m-o-m) in November, both export and import figures were the second-highest seen in 2024. Exports from Slovakia amounted to €9.7 billion in November, up 2.6 percent year-on-year (y-o-y). Imports grew by 2.8 percent to €9.4 billion. The country recorded a positive trade balance for the eleventh month in a row, but the surplus for November was almost €10 million lower than in the same month of 2023. A 3-percent increase in the value of exported cars contributed most to the development of exports, while growth in imports was chiefly driven by the category of machinery and transport equipment, going up by 6.7 percent y-o-y. The most-frequently traded articles were machinery and transport equipment including cars, which made up 63 percent of total exports and 49.8 percent of total imports. As much as 77 percent of total exports headed to other EU countries, while imports from these countries accounted for more than 66 percent. Exports to the rest of the Union grew by 1.1 percent y-o-y, with imports going up by 6.3 percent. Exports outside the EU swelled more significantly, going up by 8 percent, while imports from third countries went down by 3.3 percent. In the first eleven months of last year, meanwhile, exports fell by 1.9 percent y-o-y to €99.1 billion, with imports dropping by 1.2 percent to €95.1 billion. Slovakia's trade balance for January-November 2024 recorded a surplus of €3.9 billion. In the same period of 2023 the surplus was €785 million higher. ko/mcs