Ireland's foreign trade surplus decreased in November as imports rose amid a plunge in exports, figures from the Central Statistics Office showed on Monday.
The seasonally adjusted trade surplus dropped to EUR 4.1 billion in November from EUR 7.1 billion in the previous month.
In the corresponding month last year, the trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 4.8 billion.
Exports logged a monthly decrease of 11.0 percent in November, while imports increased by 9.0 percent.
On an unadjusted basis, exports declined 3.0 percent annually in November, while imports were 2.0 percent lower compared to last year. As a result, the trade surplus fell to EUR 4.2 billion from EUR 5.0 billion last year.
Exports to Great Britain climbed by 11.0 percent annually in November. A 25.0 percent sharp decline in imports was seen due to weak domestic demand for mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials.
