ROMA (ITALPRESS) – In May 2026 there is an estimate of a larger economic growth for imports (+1.5%) compared to exports (+0.2%). The modest monthly increase in exports is a synthesis of an increase in sales to the extra EU area (+0.8%) and a reduction in those to the EU area (-0.4%). In the quarter of March-May 2026, compared to the previous one, export grew by 4.6%, import by 7.2%. Istat detects it. “In May 2026 export grows on an annual basis of 4.1% in value while it is reduced by 2.4% in volume”. The trend of exports in monetary terms is more sustained for extra EU markets (+6.8%) than EU ones (+1.7%). “The import recorded a trend growth of 7.3% in value, much more intense for the extra EU area (+15.5%) than the EU (+1.3%); in volume, imports decrease by 2.5%”.
Among the sectors that most contribute to the tendential growth of exports are: base metals and metal products, excluding machines and plants (+26.2%), coke and refined petroleum products (+62.0%), means of transport, excluding motor vehicles (+20.6) and vehicles (+13.9%). Exports of pharmaceutical, chemical-medicinal and botanical products (-9.7%) are reduced on an annual basis.
In the period January-May 2026, Istat still notes, “export has a trend growth of 3.4%, explained above all by the increased sales of base metals and metal products, excluding machines and plants (+29.5%)”. The most negative contribution comes from lower exports of means of transport, excluding cars (-4.0%) and sports articles, games, musical instruments, precious, medical instruments and other products not elsewhere (-5.3%). The trade balance in May 2026 amounted to +4.793 million euros (was +6.103 million in the same month of 2025). The energy deficit (-5,700 million) is higher than a year earlier (-3.457 million). The advance in the interchange of non-energy products rises from +9.560 million May 2025 to +10.493 million May 2026. In May 2026 import prices increase by 0.4% on a monthly basis and by 6.5% on an annual basis (from +4.6% of April).
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
