Seasonally adjusted figures from the Central Statistics Office show that trade decreased in September compared with the previous month. Preliminary figures show that exports were down 5% to €7,320m, while imports dipped marginally to €4,661m.
For the first eight months of the year, exports were up 2% on the same period last year at €56.8 billion, with a 9% increase in chemicals exports. Exports to Britain and the US were down 3% and 2% respectively, but there were sharp rises in the volume of goods exported to Spain and Switzerland.
Imports were 8% higher compared with the same period last year, with a near 40% jump in the value of imports of petrol products. Imports from China were 31% higher.
