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Balance of trade · Ireland

Ireland Balance of Trade

The Ireland Balance of Trade shows the difference between the value of goods (and sometimes services) that Ireland sells abroad and what it buys from abroad, or the growth of exports and imports.

Importance
Low
Released
Monthly
Next release
Currency
EUR · euro
Central bank
The European Central Bank (with the Central Bank of Ireland)
Moves
EURAUD# · EURCAD# · EURCHF# · EURDKK# · EURGBP · EURHKD# · EURHUF# · EURJPY#

Latest figures

The latest release for AUG, published on 16 October 2026, came in at €2.9B.

ReleasedForActualConsensusPrevious
16 Oct 2026AUG€2.9B–€4.7B ®
16 Sep 2026JUL€5.3B–€3.8B ®
18 Aug 2026JUN€3.5B–€2.9B ®
15 Jul 2026MAY€3.4B–€5.2B ®
17 Jun 2026APR€5.3B–€3.9B ®
15 May 2026MAR€4.0B–€4.1B ®
15 Apr 2026FEB€4.6B–€4.8B
19 Mar 2026JAN€4.8B–€2.7B ®
17 Feb 2026DEC€2.9B–€3.4B ®
15 Jan 2026NOV€5.16B–€4.30B ®
17 Dec 2025OCT€4.35B–€17.53B ®
19 Nov 2025SEP€17.37B–€4.73B ®

See it in the economic calendar →

Why it matters

Exports are a big part of demand for open economies (Germany, China, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands). A larger surplus means more foreign demand for the euro; strong imports signal domestic demand. China's figures are read as a gauge of world demand.

How it is calculated

Customs records the value of goods crossing the border; services come from surveys. The balance is exports minus imports, usually seasonally adjusted.

Trade balance = exports − imports

What changes mean

  • Look at exports and imports separately: a wider surplus from collapsing imports is a sign of weak domestic demand, not strength.
  • Exchange-rate moves take months to affect trade volumes (the J-curve).

Higher than expected: A larger surplus (or smaller deficit) than expected tends to support the euro.

Lower than expected: A smaller surplus (or larger deficit) than expected tends to weigh on the euro.

A short history

Trade balances were the obsession of mercantilism in the 16th–18th centuries; David Hume's price-specie flow mechanism (1752) explained why surpluses tend to correct themselves.

Questions

What is the Ireland Balance of Trade?

The Ireland Balance of Trade shows the difference between the value of goods (and sometimes services) that Ireland sells abroad and what it buys from abroad, or the growth of exports and imports.

What was the latest Ireland Balance of Trade?

€2.9B for AUG, published on 16 October 2026.

When is the next Ireland Balance of Trade?

On Thursday 19 November 2026 at 11:00 UTC.

Educational content only, not investment advice. Figures are the published results as recorded by our calendar; market reactions described are typical, not guaranteed.