Slovakia Trade Surplus Grows In August

(RTTNews) - Slovakia's foreign trade surplus increased notably in August from a year ago as imports fell faster than exports, preliminary data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed on Thursday.

The trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 225.4 million in August, up from EUR 88.9 million in the corresponding month last year. In July, the trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 260.6 million.

Slovakia's foreign trade maintained a surplus for the fourth consecutive month and for the sixth time this year, the agency said.

Exports dropped only 0.4 percent annually in August, while imports fell more significantly by 2.1 percent to EUR 7.8 billion, reaching the lowest value in the last 20 months.

Imports were dragged down by an almost 26 percent decrease in the mineral fuels section, which includes oil, electricity, and natural gas.