The trade deficit in Malta narrowed to EUR 131.4 million in November 2019 from EUR 241.5 million in the same month a year earlier. It was the smallest trade gap since December 2018, as exports surged 23.8 percent to EUR 325.7 million, boosted by sales of chemicals (107.3 percent) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (40.5 percent). Imports decreased 9.4 percent to EUR 457 million, mainly due to lower purchases of machinery & transport equipment (-28.8 percent) and food (-10.3 percent). Year-to-date, the country's trade deficit widened to EUR 3,661.2 million from EUR 2,847.5 million in the same period of 2018, as exports and imports grew 6.4 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively. Balance of Trade in Malta averaged -128813.85 EUR Thousand from 1996 until 2019, reaching an all time high of -7900 EUR Thousand in December of 2002 and a record low of -735969 EUR Thousand in March of 2019. source: National Statistics Office, Malta

Balance of Trade in Malta is expected to be -220000.00 EUR Thousand by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in Malta to stand at -111300.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Malta Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -131300.00 EUR Thousand in 2020, according to our econometric models.


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Malta Balance of Trade

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-131362.00 -349271.00 -7900.00 -735969.00 1996 - 2019 EUR Thousand Monthly



Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2019-10-10 09:00 AM Aug €-270.9M €-348.2M €-342M
2019-11-11 10:00 AM Sep €-331.3M €-270.9M €-188M
2019-12-10 10:00 AM Oct €-349.3M €-331.3M €-264M
2020-01-09 10:00 AM Nov €-131.4M €-349.3M
2020-02-11 10:00 AM Dec €-131.4M € -133.3M
Go to our Calendar for more events. Or learn more about the Calendar API for direct access.


News Stream
2019-12-10
Malta Trade Deficit Widens in October
The trade deficit in Malta rose to EUR 349.3 million in October of 2019 from EUR 304.1 million in the same month a year earlier. Exports declined 3.3 percent to EUR 280.7 million, due to lower sales of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (-35.4 percent). In contrast, shipments of machinery and transport equipment advanced 9.8 percent. Imports increased 6.0 percent to EUR 630 million, boosted by purchases of machinery and transport equipment (47.1 percent) and chemicals (29.2 percent). Considering the January-October period of 2019, Malta’s trade gap widened 36 percent to EUR 3,531.4 million from EUR 2,596.2 million in the corresponding period a year ago.

2019-11-11
Malta Trade Deficit Widens in September
The trade deficit in Malta rose to EUR 331.3 million in September of 2019 from EUR 172.3 million in the same month a year earlier. Exports went up 5.6 percent to EUR 250.8 million, mostly due to higher sales of chemicals (38.5 percent) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (1.2 percent). Meantime, imports increased at a much faster 42.1 percent to EUR 582.1 million, boosted by purchases of machinery and transport equipment (93.6 percent) and mineral fuels and related materials (41.4 percent). Considering the January-September period of 2019, Malta’s trade gap widened 37 percent to EUR 3,141 million from EUR 2,292 million in the corresponding period a year ago.

2019-10-10
Malta Trade Gap Narrows in August
Malta's trade deficit decreased to EUR 270.9 million in August of 2019 from EUR 339.2 million in the same month of the previous year. Exports went up 29.5 percent to EUR 353 million, as sales increased mostly for mineral fuels, lubricants & related materials (34.3 percent) and machinery & transport equipment (40.6 percent). Meantime, imports rose at a softer 2.0 percent to EUR 624 million, due to higher purchases of machinery & transport equipment (41.2 percent) and semi-manufactured goods (12.2 percent). Year-to-date, the country's trade gap widened to EUR 2,726.5 million from EUR 2,099.4 million, as exports increased 3.1 percent to EUR 2,302.2 million while imports jumped 16.1 percent to EUR 5,028.6 million

2019-09-10
Malta Trade Gap Widens in July
The trade deficit in Malta rose to EUR 348.2 million in July of 2019 from EUR 211.7 million in the corresponding month of the previous year, as exports slumped 21.0 percent to EUR 250.3 million while imports surged 13.3 percent to EUR 598.5 million. Considering the January to July period, the trade gap widened to EUR 2,451.1 million from EUR 1,776.1 million a year earlier, as exports edged down 1.4 percent to EUR 1,918.5 million and exports jumped 17.4 percent to EUR 4,369.6 million.

2019-08-09
Malta Trade Deficit Widens 22.1% YoY in June
The trade deficit in Malta rose to EUR 385.7 million in June of 2019 from EUR 315.8 million in the same month a year earlier. Exports dropped 6.7 percent year-on-year to EUR 257.3 million, mostly due to lower sales of minerals fuels, lubricants and related materials (-4.4 percent); machinery & transport equipment (-5.2 percent) and semi-manufactured goods (-45.1 percent). Imports increased 8.7 percent to EUR 642.9 million, amid higher purchases of machinery & transport equipment (2.5 percent); minerals fuels, lubricants and related materials (48.2 percent) and food (11.4 percent). Considering the January-June period of 2019, Malta’s trade gap widened 31.9 percent to EUR 2,137 million from EUR 1,620 million in the corresponding period a year ago.

2019-07-09
Malta Trade Gap Shrinks in May
The trade deficit in Malta narrowed sharply to EUR 199.0 million in May of 2019 from EUR 329.5 million in the same month of the previous year. Exports edged down 0.1 percent from a year earlier to EUR 238.0 million, mainly due to lower shipments of mineral fuels, lubricants & related materials (-16.4 percent) and machinery & transport equipment (-0.8 percent). This was partly offset by higher sales of chemicals (+38.9 percent) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (+7 percent). Meantime, imports slumped 23 percent to EUR 437 million, as purchases fell for mineral fuels, lubricants & related materials (-17.3 percent); machinery & transport equipment (-35.8 percent); chemicals (-15.7 percent); food (-35 percent) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (-14 percent). Year-to-date, the country's trade gap widened to EUR 1,743.6 million from EUR 1,238.2 million, as imports surged 20.8 percent to EUR 3,041.1 million while exports rose only 1.4 percent to EUR 1,297.5 million.


Malta Balance of Trade
Malta enjoys a favorable geographic position and large deposits of limestone, which contribute to the strength its export sector. As an island, Malta produces only around 20% of its food necessities, has limited access to fresh water and lacks energy sources. Due to this mix of factors, the economy of Malta is very dependent on foreign trade. Malta mostly exports electrical machinery, mechanical appliances, fish and crustaceans, pharmaceutical producuts and printed material. On the other hand, Malta is a net importer of mineral fuels and oils, non-electrical machinery, aircraft and other transport equipment, plastic and other semi-manufactured goods, food, drink and tobacco. Malta adopted the Euro in 2008, highlighting the status of the European Union as its most important trading partner, having vast trade flows specifically with Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

Malta Trade Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Balance of Trade -131362.00 -349271.00 -7900.00 -735969.00 EUR Thousand [+]
Current Account 603694.00 360982.00 603694.00 -313524.00 EUR Thousand [+]
Current Account to GDP 11.20 10.40 11.20 -12.40 percent [+]
Imports 457039.00 630000.00 1038049.00 162800.00 EUR Thousand [+]
Exports 325677.00 280700.00 669380.00 103400.00 EUR Thousand [+]
External Debt 93193.00 92144.60 97344.10 1589.50 EUR Million [+]
Capital Flows 80332.00 698867.00 698867.00 -565388.00 EUR Thousand [+]
Tourist Arrivals 191697.88 287191.07 338758.10 40412.00 [+]
Gold Reserves 0.25 0.19 0.50 0.08 Tonnes [+]
Foreign Direct Investment 884.50 1028.40 6634.00 -1288.40 EUR Million [+]