Preliminary figures show that trade levels fell in December compared with November, with exports falling 2% to €6.15 billion. Imports fell by 5% to €3.44 billion. Compared with December 2008, exports were down 11%, while imports fell by 14%.
Detailed figures for the first 11 months of 2009 show that exports were down 3% compared with the same period in 2008 to €79.6 billion, with big falls in exports of computer equipment (29%) and electrical machinery (31%), though there were increases in medical and pharmaceutical (18%) and chemicals (6%) exports.
Biggest drop in world trade for 60 years
The effects of sterling's weakness are shown in a 14% drop in exports to Britain and a 20% slump in exports to Northern Ireland. But exports to the US were up 9% in the period.
Imports in the first 11 months were 23% lower than the same period of 2008 at €41.1 billion, with imports of computer equipment 46% lower and road vehicle imports down 75%. Imports from Britain fell 31%, while Chinese imports were 32% lower, though imports from the US were up 16%.
Dublin Port says trade stabilising
Meanwhile, Dublin Port Company today published statistics which showed that trade levels at the port increased for the second successive month compared with the corresponding month in the previous year.
Total throughput in January was 1.4% higher in tonnage terms than trade levels in January 2009. Exports grew by 7.3% from the same month last year, though there was a reduction in imports of 2%. Dublin Port says the latest figures continue a trend of stabilising trade levels since April 2009.
