Global weakness hitting Irish trade outside EU

The value of Ireland's seasonally-adjusted exports to non-EU countries fell to €2.39 billion in September from €2

The value of Ireland's seasonally-adjusted exports to non-EU countries fell to €2.39 billion in September from €2.56 billion in August, the Central Statistics Office said today.

In the first eight months of the year, exports fell three per cent from the same period a year earlier to €25.45 billion, with exports of electrical machinery down 30 per cent and pharmaceutical products up 62 per cent.

Imports fell seven per cent to €14.38 billion, with computers down 18 per cent, and telecoms and sound equipment down 41 per cent. Imports of transport equipment, other than road vehicles, jumped 134 per cent.

Seasonally-adjusted imports dropped to €1.44 billion from €1.71 billion the previous month, the CSO said.

On an unadjusted basis, exports were valued at €2.66 billion, down 12 per cent on the same month in 2001, while unadjusted imports were worth €1.41 billion, up five per cent on the previous September.

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