The trade surplus in the Netherlands increased to EUR 4.9 billion in October of 2018 from EUR 4.5 billion in the same month of the previous year. Exports rose 14.1 percent from a year earlier to EUR 44.9 billion, mainly due to sales of fuels & lubricants (42.3 percent); machinery & transport equipment (12.9 percent); chemicals (11.9 percent), and manufactured goods (9.6 percent). Exports to the EU increased 13.3 percent while those to countries outside the EU went up 16.1 percent. Imports advanced at a faster 15 percent to EUR 40 billion, boosted by purchases of fuels & lubricants (40.5 percent); machinery & transport equipment (14 percent); manufactured goods (10.7 percent), and chemicals (10.5 percent). Imports from the EU rose 11.9 percent and those from countries outside the EU climbed 18.8 percent. Considering January-October 2018, the surplus was recorded at EUR 42.7, compared to a EUR 49.7 billion surplus in the same period of 2017. Balance of Trade in Netherlands averaged 1152.06 EUR Million from 1960 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 6491 EUR Million in March of 2017 and a record low of -907.60 EUR Million in May of 1993.
Balance of Trade in Netherlands is expected to be 4520.00 EUR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in Netherlands to stand at 4528.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Netherlands Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 5050.00 EUR Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.