Industrial exports and imports rise to 16-year highs in April

With the April 2022 figures, export prices have now posted 16 consecutive months of gains and 10 record-breaking ones. The April rate has reached these figures thanks to intermediate goods, capital goods and non-durable consumer goods. Intermediate goods increased their year-on-year rate by one and a half points, due to the rise in the manufacture of basic iron and chemical products. Like these, capital goods also increased their rate by one and a half points, due to the increase in the manufacture of motor vehicles. Finally, non-durable consumer goods increased their year-on-year rate by more than one and a half points, due to higher production costs for vegetable and animal oils and fats, and meat products. On the other hand, energy was the only sector with a negative influence in April, cutting its annual rate by 146.6%, due to the lower cost of electricity production, transport, and distribution.

On the other hand, import prices of industrial products have also increased to record highs, reaching the highest rate since January 2006 and chaining 14 months of increase. This evolution was also influenced, mainly, by intermediate goods, capital goods and non-durable consumer goods.  Intermediate goods registered an increase of one and a half points compared to March, due to the increase in the price of the chemical industry. Capital goods also increased their rate by one and a half points, due to the rise in vehicle manufacturing costs. Non-durable consumer goods increased their rate by more than one point, due to higher costs in the textile and food industries. As in exports, energy also had a negative influence on imports.