Italy experienced a significant increase in import prices in September, with a 9.6% rise compared to the same month last year. This marks an acceleration from the 7.3% annual increase observed in August, reflecting continued upward pressure on the cost of imported goods.
On a monthly basis, import prices rose by 1.9% in September compared to August. Despite these rising costs, Italy managed to record a trade surplus of €2.083 billion for the month, indicating that the value of its exports exceeded that of its imports.
Italy’s exports grew by 3.8% year-on-year in September, while imports saw a 3.6% increase over the same period. Notably, export growth was more robust in non-European Union markets, showing a 5.8% rise, as opposed to a 2.1% increase in EU countries.
In terms of month-to-month changes, exports slightly declined by 0.2% from August to September, whereas imports increased by 3.3%. This points to a dynamic trade environment where import costs are rising faster than exports, yet the trade balance remains positive due to strong export performance.