Argentina: Merchandise exports continue to jump in May also due to a low base effect
Merchandise exports soared 33.2% in annual terms in May, following April’s stronger 41.3% jump, which had marked the strongest reading since August 2010. The print again reflected a very low base effect and was driven by skyrocketing foreign sales of industrial and agricultural goods as well as by a strong expansion in exports of energy more than offsetting a drop in exports of primary products. In terms of export markets, May’s print mainly resulted from surging overseas shipments to Brazil, Chile and the U.S. outweighing falling sales to China and Vietnam.
Merchandise imports skyrocketed 62.4% in annual terms in May (April: +61.5% yoy). The increase reflected a broad-based jump in purchases of capital, consumptions and intermediate goods as well as of motor vehicles and fuels.
Meanwhile, the trade balance recorded a USD 1.6 billion surplus in May, coming in above the USD 1.5 billion surplus logged in the previous month (May 2020: USD 1.9 billion surplus). Lastly, the 12-month rolling trade balance came in at USD 11.3 billion surplus in May, down from April’s USD 11.6 billion surplus (May 2020: USD 18.3 billion surplus).