Peru: Trade surplus widens in September as contraction in exports eases
Peru’s trade balance recorded a USD 462 million surplus in September, larger than August’s USD 139 million surplus but smaller than the USD 514 million surplus recorded in the same month last year.
Exports declined 1.4% year-on-year in September (August: -7.4% year-on-year), weighed down by diving foreign sales of fishing products and of oil and natural gas, only partially offset by higher exports of agricultural products. Meanwhile, imports dipped 0.1% annually in September, a softer contraction than August’s 5.9% slump, as decreasing purchases of intermediate goods more than offset higher capital imports.
In the 12 months leading up to September, the trade surplus was USD 5.6 billion, below August’s USD 5.7 billion surplus and the lowest reading in over two years.