Slovakia's trade balance turned to a deficit in April, as imports grew much faster than exports, preliminary data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed on Thursday.
The trade balance showed a deficit of EUR 503.3 million in April versus a surplus of EUR 132.6 million in the corresponding month last year. In March, the trade deficit was EUR 510.0 million.
The surplus in motor vehicle trade was offset by a deficit in gas, oil, and electricity, the statistical office said.
Exports rose for the sixth straight month in April by 5.5 percent from a year ago, while imports logged a double-digit growth of 14.5 percent.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, both exports and imports climbed by 9.7 percent and 19 percent respectively in May from last year. As a result, the trade deficit stood at EUR 291.3 million.
