France’s trade deficit stood at €5.6 billion in July, marking a €1.6 billion improvement from June’s revised figure, according to data released by the country’s External Trade Ministerial Statistical Office (DSECE).
Key figures
Exports rose by €0.5 billion month-over-month to €51.2 billion, while imports increased by €0.3 billion to €57.7 billion. The narrowing of the deficit was driven largely by a stronger energy balance, which improved by €0.3 billion on the back of higher exports and lower imports.
Sectoral performance
While the energy balance showed gains, other areas saw modest declines. The balance of manufactured goods decreased by €0.2 billion. Within this, capital goods and intermediate goods remained stable, but consumer goods weakened, with the balance slipping by €0.2 billion.
Outlook
The July data reflects mixed trends — an improvement in the overall deficit due to energy trade gains, offset by weakness in consumer goods. Excluding energy, the trade balance deteriorated slightly, highlighting persistent challenges in France’s external trade dynamics,
