Albania's trade deficit falls 7.6% year-on-year

Albania's trade deficit falls 7.6% year-on-year By Dimitrios Shistohilis bne - 25.03.2011 Statistics released on Thursday showed that Albania's trade deficit fell 7.6% year-on-year to 38.115bn leks ($384m/272m euro) through February as exports grew faster than imports. In February the country had a trade gap of 17.684bn leks, 14.5% lower year-on-year. In the first two months of 2010, Albania's imports rose by 17.4% on the year to 72.934bn leks, while exports expanded by 67% to 34.819bn leks. EU member states accounted for 62% of Albania's exports through February and for 63% of the country's imports over the same period. Italy and Greece remained Albania's main trading partners in the first two months of the current year. ALBANIA'S TRADE BALANCE (in bns of leks): Jan-Feb'11 Jan-Feb'10 Feb'11 Feb'10 Imports 72.934 62.107 37.733 31.994 Exports 34.819 20.867 20.049 11.300 Balance -38.115 -41.240 -17.684 -20.694 Source : bne