Seasonally adjusted trade figures for April showed that exports rose by 10% compared with March to €6,971m, according to the Central Statistics Office.
Imports were up just 2% to €3,922, giving a trade surplus of just over €3 billion. But early estimates for May show lower exports of €6,450m and a lower trade surplus of €2,830m.
For the first four months of 2003, exports are running 20% behind the same period last year, with exports of electrical machinery and parts 65% lower. Exports of chemicals and computer equipment are both down around 20%.
Exports to Britain are down 47% on the first four months of last year, but US exports are up 6%.
Imports are 23% lower, with imports of transport equipment slumping by 89%. Imports from Britain and the US are also sharply lower for teh first four months.
