Italian exports soar to 122 billion euros

(AGI) Rome, May 9 - Italy recorded a manufacturing trade balance of 122.4 billion euros last year, largely due to mechanical automation, clothing-fashion, home furnishing and food-beverages. The figures were released by the studies centre of the Italian association of sole traders and small businesses (CGIA). This result was much in line with recent years. In 2009 the surplus fell to 88.4 billion euros, rose to 92.3 billion euros in 2010, 103.7 billion euros in 2011, 119.5 euros in 2012, 120.2 billion euros in 2013 and 122.3 billion euros in 2014: a crescendo that peaked in 2015 at 122.4 billion euros. An analysis of individual Italian manufacturing sectors shows an extraordinary result for machinery (engines, turbines, pumps, compressors, taps and fittings, tools, lifting equipment, furnaces, and burners, etc.), with a trade surplus in 2015 of 49.8 billion euros. Then came textiles-clothing-footwear with 17.6 billion euros, fabricated metal products (lightweight packaging, wires, chains, springs, nuts and bolts, cans, and steel containers, etc.) with 11.1 billion euros, furniture with 7.2 billion euros, electrical appliances (washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, freezers, electric storage batteries, wiring devices, primary cells, and generators, etc.) with 6.5 billion euros, and other non-metallic materials (glass, porcelain, ceramics, refractories, cement, etc.) with 6.4 billion euros. Germany is Italy's main manufacturing trading partner taking exports worth 30.3 billion euros in 2015. It is followed by France (27.7 billion euros), the U.S. (24.6 billion euros), Britain (14.8 euros), Spain (11.2 billion euros) and Switzerland (11 billion euros). Compared to 2014 there were significant sales increases in the UAE (15.4 percent), the U.S. (15.2 percent) and Spain (10 percent). Of the top 20 destinations for Italian exports, only two declined: Austria with minus 0.2 percent and Russia with minus 25.2 percent. The latter was influenced by various factors including the decline in household purchasing power, the exchange rate and the trade embargo imposed by the European Union. (AGI) . .