Russian trade surplus narrows 2.2% to $193.8 bln in 2012 - Central Bank
MOSCOW. Feb 11 (Interfax) - Russia's trade surplus, calculated by the balance of payments method, narrowed 2.2% in 2012 to $193.809 billion, from $198.181 billion in 2011, the Central Bank said.
Russia had a record trade surplus in 2012 and record exports and imports and trade volume in 2012.
Exports grew 1.4% in 2012 to $529.255, from $522.011 billion in 2011. Imports grew 3.6% to $335.446 billion from $323.831 billion.
Foreign trade volume grew 2.2% last year to $864.701 billion from $845.842 billion.
Exports grew 6.9% in December compared with November last year to $48.568 billion, and imports grew 4.5% to $31.436 billion. The surplus widened 11.6% to $17.132 billion.
Exports in December 2012 were lower only than the $51.338 billion posted in December 2011. Only in October 2012 were imports higher than in December 2012 at $31.553 billion.
The December surplus was the highest since $17.132 billion in May 2012 while trade was higher in the six months from December 2011 to May 2012 than in December 2012. The highest surplus was still $20.647 billion in December 2011.
The Central Bank at the beginning of January estimated the 2012 trade surplus at $195.4 billion. It revised this down due to a lower annual export estimate, from $530.7 billion to $529.3 billion, while the import estimate was unchanged at $335.4 billion.
