FX.co ★ France Trade Gap Smallest in 7 Months

France experienced a notable reduction in its trade deficit, which decreased to €5.6 billion in August 2025 from a revised July figure of €7.2 billion, outperforming the anticipated deficit of €6.1 billion. This marks the smallest trade gap since December 2024. Exports saw a 2.6% month-over-month rise, reaching €52.1 billion. This increase was bolstered by significant growth in the sale of refined petroleum products and coke (up by 17.2%), transport equipment (up by 9.4%), natural hydrocarbons (up by 22.3%), and publishing and communication products (up by 9.8%). When considering regional performance, exports rose significantly to Africa (up by 6.0%), the Middle East (up by 11.5%), and Asia (up by 18.8%), with a modest increase in shipments to the EU (up by 0.8%). However, exports to America declined by 7.7%, partially due to the 15% tariffs imposed by the US on EU goods. On the other hand, imports dropped slightly by 0.5% to €57.7 billion, influenced by decreased purchases of agri-food products (down by 1.1%), mechanical and electronic equipment (down by 3.6%), and art and antiques (down by 35.9%). Regionally, declines were observed in imports from Africa (down by 12.8%), America (down by 3.7%), and Asia (down by 1.3%), while imports from the Middle East saw a significant increase (up by 66.3%).