Russian trade surplus at $36.3 bln in Jan-May
MOSCOW. June 23 (Interfax) - Russia's trade surplus in the first five months of 2009 declined 56% year-on-year to $36.3 billion, Deputy Economic Development Minister Andrei Klepach told journalists on Tuesday.
Exports in January-May were down 46.8% year-on-year to $102.6 billion and imports fell 39.8% to $66.3 billion.
The surplus in May was $9.8 billion, a decline of more than 40% year-on-year.
Exports declined 45% to $23.4 billion in May, but were 10% higher than in April, the Economic Development Ministry said in its report on socioeconomic development for May 2009.
Imports in May fell 44.6% to $13.6 billion and were down 7% compared with April.
Trade turnover was down 44.3% in January-May year-on-year, including declines of 44.2% for non-CIS trade and 44.5% for CIS trade. Exports accounted for 60.7% of trade turnover.