Eurozone goods trade surplus records 31.4 bln euros in July

The goods trade surplus in 19-country Eurozone rose to a record 31.4 billion euros (35.52 billion U.S. dollars) in July, official data showed on Tuesday, a welcome figure suggesting the economy saw a good start in the third quarter.

The first estimate for euro area goods exports in July was 185.2 billion euros, an increase of 7 percent year-on-year, and the imports stood at 153.8 billion euros with a yearly growth of 1 percent, the European Union (EU) statistical agency Eurostat said.

In wider 28-member EU, the goods exports in July was 162.1 billion euros, up by 7 percent compared with the same time of the previous year, also a stronger signal to a slow-recovering economy, Eurostat said.

However, the goods imports of the continent, which stood at 149.2 billion euros, declined by 1 percent year on year.

Economists cautioned that the Eurozone's trade surplus may edge down in the future as the effects of weakened euro fade. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) Endit