Australia’s trade surplus widened sharply to AUD 2.83 billion in September 2026 from a downwardly revised AUD 0.18 billion in August, defying market expectations of an AUD 0.8 billion deficit. This marked the largest surplus since February, driven by rising exports and falling imports.
Exports increased 2.3% month-on-month to AUD 48.43 billion in September, a 42‑month high, though the pace eased from a downwardly revised 3.1% rise in August. The increase was led mainly by higher shipments of other mineral fuels and metals.
In contrast, imports declined 3.3% month-on-month to AUD 45.61 billion, following an upwardly revised 6.2% gain in August. The pullback was largely due to lower imports of non-monetary gold, civil aircraft, and confidentialised items.
