In September, Italy experienced a significant rise in import prices, marking a 9.6% increase compared to the same month the previous year. This acceleration follows a 7.3% annual rise recorded in August, indicating persistent upward pressure on the cost of imported goods. On a month-to-month basis, import prices grew by 1.9% from August.
While import costs surged, Italy’s trade activities showed mixed results. The country’s exports increased by 3.8% year-on-year in September, whereas imports grew slightly less, at 3.6%. Notably, export growth was more robust outside the European Union, with a 5.8% rise in non-EU markets, compared to a modest 2.1% increase within EU countries.
On a monthly comparison, Italy’s exports saw a slight decline of 0.2% in September, whereas imports rose by 3.3%. Despite the challenges posed by rising import costs, Italy managed to maintain a trade surplus of €2.083 billion, as the value of exports continued to exceed that of imports.