Irish
Irish exports rose 1% in Jan-April 2006 compared with same period in 2005
By Finfacts Team
Jul 11, 2006, 12:46

The CSO reported today that seasonally adjusted trade shows exports increased from €6,818m to €7,983m (+17%) for May 2006 while imports increased from €4,556m to €4,822m (+6%) relative to the preceding month of April 2006.

One month's figures are not a reliable trend indicator. For example, there was a double digit fall in April and a double digit rise in May Source CSO

The April 2006 trade in turn shows exports decreased from €7,551m in March to €6,818m (-10%) and imports decreased from €5,215m to €4,556m (-13%).

On an unadjusted basis, the value of exports in May 2006  was €8,132m, up €832m (+11%) on May 2005, while the value of imports was €4,981m, up €334m (+7%). The value of exports in April 2006 was €6,844m, down €876m (-11%) on April 2005 and the value of imports was €4,657m, down €464m (-9%).

Comparing the January-April 2006 figures with the January-April 2005 shows:

Exports increased from €28,792m to €29,170m (+1%) –

• Medical and pharmaceutical products increased from €5,248m to €5,627m (+7%), Computer equipment increased from €4,279m to €4,466m (+4%) and Electrical machinery and parts increased from €1,818m to €1,929m (+6%). Organic chemicals decreased from €5,689m to €4,971m (-13%).
• Goods to Luxembourg increased from €50m to €352m, to Germany
  from €2,071m to €2,270m (+10%) and to Belgium from €4,258m to €4,430m (+4%). Goods to Switzerland decreased from €1,221m to €701m (-43%) and to Italy from €1,228m to €1,021m (-17%).

Imports increased from €18,895m to €20,022m (+6%) –

• Computer equipment increased from €2,666m to €3,239m (+21%), Petroleum and related products from €909m to €1,203m (+32%) and Road vehicles from €1,661m to €1,779m (+7%). Other transport equipment (including aircraft) decreased from €888m to €447m (-50%).
• Goods from China increased from €1,010m to €1,349m (+33%),
  Singapore from €239 to €550 (+130%), Great Britain from €5,302m to €5,576m (+5%) and Norway from €391m to €610m (+56%). Goods from the United States decreased from €2,825m to €2,409m (-15%) and Japan from €802m to €697m (-13%).