Seasonally adjusted figures from the Central Statistics Office show that exports rose by 8% in November compared with October. Exports were €7,170m, according to the preliminary figures, while imports fell 12% to €3,960m.
Detailed figures for the first 10 months of the year show that exports were up 2% compared with the same period in 2003 to €69.4 billion, with a 10% rise in exports of medical and pharmaceutical products.
Exports to Japan were up 14%, but exports to Germany dropped by 8%.
Imports rose by 5% to just under €41 billion in the first ten months of the year, with imports from China climbing by 29% to €2,292m.
Bloxham economist Alan McQuaid said that although the strong euro might hit Ireland's trade performance again this year, he still expected exports to continue growing, boosted by improving global demand.
He forecast that the total trade surplus for 2005 would rise to around €37 billion from an expected €34 billion last year.
