ROMA (ITALPRESS) – In March, the conjunctural dynamic of export is influenced by high-impact sales of shipbuilding: net of these, it is estimated to be a less large conjunctural increase, pairs to +2.8%. On a yearly basis, export growth is more than half explained by the increase in sales of metals, in particular towards Switzerland and France; that of import is mainly due to the major purchases of metals, motor vehicles and electronic products. In the first quarter of 2026, the trend of export is positive (+1.3%); that of import is almost stationary (+0.1%). The commercial surplus, totally due to trade with non-EU countries, is equal to +10.8 billion euros, increasing compared to the first quarter 2025 (+8.9 billion). Import prices record a new and wider increase on a monthly basis, mainly due to the rise in prices of energy products and intermediate goods (particularly metals); on a yearly basis, they interrupt the negative dynamics taking place since April 2025. This is what emerges from the Istat survey on foreign trade and import prices for March 2026. In March 2026, a larger conjunctural growth is estimated for imports (+4.8%) compared to exports (+4.1%). The increase on a monthly basis of the export is greater for the EU area (+4.7%) than the extra EU (+3.6%). In the first quarter of 2026, compared to the previous one, export grew by 4.0%, import by 2.3%.
In March 2026 export grew on an annual basis of 7.4% in value and 4.2% in volume. The trend of export in monetary terms is more sustained for EU markets (+9.6%) than extra EU markets (+5.1%). The import recorded a trend increase of 8.0% in value, covering both areas, EU (+8.1%) and extra EU (+7.9%); in volume, imports grew by 9.1%. Among the sectors that most contribute to the tendential growth of exports are: base metals and metal products, excluding machines and plants (+38.6%), coke and refined petroleum products (+55.0%), motor vehicles (+15.8%), computers, electronic and optical appliances (+17.5%), pharmaceutical, chemical-medicial and botanical articles (+4.6%) and machinery and appliances not elsewhere (n.3%). Exports of transport, excluding motor vehicles (-8.6%) are reduced on an annual basis. On an annual basis, Switzerland (+84.6%) is the country that provides the most positive contribution to national exports. Exports to France (+9.2%), Germany (+8.0%), Spain (+12.6%) and China (+23.9%); while those towards OPEC countries (-42.9%), Turkey (-18.2%) and Mercosur countries (-12.4%). In the first quarter of 2026, exports increased by 1.3%, mainly due to the increase in sales of base metals and metal products, excluding machines and plants (+29.4%). The main negative contribution, on the other hand, derives from lower exports of means of transport, excluding vehicles (-13.2%).
In March 2026, the commercial surplus (+4.709 million euros) remained substantially stable compared to one year before (+4.706 million). Substantially stable also the energy deficit (-3.934 million; it was -3.902 million in March 2025) and the advance in the exchange of non-energy products that stood at +8.643 million, from +8.608 million in March 2025. In March 2026 import prices increase by 2.5% on a monthly basis and are almost stationary on an annual basis (+0.1%; it was -3,4% in February).
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
