Malta’s August exports rise as its trade gap narrows
Malta’s goods trade deficit narrowed to 295.7 million euros in August as exports rose 19 per cent and imports barely changed. The preliminary customs-based figures also show a smaller deficit across January–August. Fuel trade contributed strongly to the monthly movements, while a separate comparison excluding fuels, aircraft and ships also recorded a narrower gap.
Economics & Markets··Morning
Exports grow while imports barely change
Malta’s goods trade deficit narrowed to 295.7 million euros in August 2026, a reduction of 76.1 million euros from a year earlier. The National Statistics Office, Malta’s official statistics agency, released the provisional figures on October 12. Exports rose 19 per cent to 481.4 million euros, while imports increased 0.1 per cent to 777.1 million euros.[1], [2]
Exports increased in value by 76.9 million euros and imports by 0.8 million euros. The resulting deficit was 76.1 million euros smaller than in the previous August. The statistics cover merchandise trade, with customs information received by October 2. They report nominal goods values and remain open to revision as the underlying information changes.[1], [2]
Fuel trade drives large product-group movements
Mineral fuels and related materials recorded the largest increase in imports, rising 91.1 million euros annually. Machinery and transport equipment imports fell by 50.1 million euros, chemical imports by 36.1 million euros and food imports by 12.7 million euros. These falls accompanied the rise in fuel purchases within the nearly unchanged overall import value.[1], [2]
On the export side, fuels and related materials increased by 65.1 million euros and machinery and transport equipment by 26.7 million euros. Chemical exports declined by 30.6 million euros. The published breakdown places those changes alongside the 19 per cent increase in the total value of goods sold abroad during August.[1], [2]
The eight-month goods deficit also narrows
The January–August comparison shows that the deficit narrowed by 624.1 million euros to 2,837.5 million euros. Imports totalled 6,317.3 million euros and exports 3,479.7 million euros. The European Union supplied 59.5 per cent of imports and received 32.6 per cent of exports. The eight-month figures cover a longer period than the separate August comparison.[1]
Excluding fuels, aircraft and ships, the August deficit was 175.2 million euros, smaller than a year earlier. On that narrower basis, imports declined 4.3 per cent to 439.6 million euros and exports rose 6.5 per cent to 264.4 million euros. This supplementary series removes those product groups from the goods trade comparison.[1], [2]
