THE country’s trade deficit narrowed in December amid continued growth in exports and imports, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed on Tuesday. The $3.52-billion shortfall — from exports worth $6.99 billion and imports totaling $10.52 billion — was markedly lower than the year-earlier $4.15 billion and November’s $3.95 billion. The value of all shipments — $17.51 billion — fell from the previous month’s $17.81 billion but was significantly higher compared to the $15.49 billion seen in December 2024. Exports growth improved to 23.3 percent year on year from 21.67 percent in November and also rebounded from the year-ago drop of 1.9 percent. Imports rose by a higher 7.1 percent from November’s 2.3 percent and December 2024’s -1.4 percent. The full-year trade balance for 2025 improved to a deficit of $49.16 billion from $54.33 billion a year earlier. Exports totaled $84.4 billion, up 15.2 percent from $73.27 billion in 2024, while imports grew by 4.7 percent to $133.57 billion from $127.59 billion. https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/01/28/business/top-business/trade-gap-narrows/2266136 (ICE SINGAPORE)

Fonte notizia: The Manila Times, 28 January 2026