MEXICO CITY-Mexico ran up a $1.48 billion trade deficit in September wth exports of factory-made goods falling for the first time since April while imports of consumer goods and machinery remained robust.
Exports fell 5.1% from the year-earlier month to $49.66 billion, and imports were down 3.9% at $51.14 billion, the National Statistics Institute said Friday.
Shipments abroad of manufactured goods fell 6.6%, with the sharpest declines in machinery. industrial equipment and steel products. Auto exports, including vehicles and parts, rose 3.7%.
Petroleum exports increased 5% to $3.45 billion thanks to higher volume of crude oil Shipments abroad of manufactured goods fell 6.6%, with the sharpest declines in machinery, industrial equipment and steel products. Auto exports, including vehicles and parts, rose 3.7%.
Petroleum exports increased 5% to $3.45 billion thanks to higher volume of crude oil shipments. Petroleum imports, including gasoline and natural gas, fell 31.7% from September 2022 to $4.69 billion.
Non-oil consumer goods imports, which have been supported by a strong Mexican peso, rose 24.7% to $6.49 billion. Imports of intermediate goods used in production chains fell 5.5% to $34.97 billion, excluding petroleum. Imports of machinery and equipment grew 19.6% to $4.99 billion.
September’s balance brought the trade deficit for the first three quarters of the year to $10.08 billion, with a $16.63 billion petroleum deficit partially offset by a $6.55 billion surplus in non-petroleum trade.