France’s trade deficit widened to €6.9 billion in May 2026 from €5.4 billion in April, overshooting market expectations of a €5.2 billion shortfall. This was the largest trade gap since April 2025 and reflected both weaker exports and higher imports.
Exports fell 2.0% month-on-month to €53.6 billion, weighed down in particular by lower shipments of mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (-4.4%), as well as natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (-4.5%). By destination, exports declined to the European Union (-0.9%), Africa (-17.0%), and the Americas (-3.2%), while increasing markedly to Asia (+9.9%) and the Middle East (+14.4%).
At the same time, imports rose 0.7% to €60.5 billion, supported by stronger purchases of refined petroleum products (+10.2%), transport equipment (+3.9%), other industrial products (+1.1%), and mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+1.0%). By origin, imports increased from the EU (+1.1%) and the Middle East (+38.4%), were broadly stable from Asia, and declined from the Americas (-3.8%) and Africa (-8.8%).
