Ireland's trade surplus at lowest level in six years

[BoyRacer]

Ireland’s trade surplus at lowest level in six years - Colm Kelpie → independent.ie/business/iris … 74298.html

Ireland’s trade surplus narrowed by almost a quarter in March to reach its lowest level in just over six years
Analysts described the data from the Central Statistics Office as disappointing.
Exports fell 4pc in March from the previous month, but by contrast, imports jumped 12pc.
Over the course of the year, the value of exports dropped 6pc as the impact of the so-called pharmaceutical patent cliff continues to dent Ireland’s crucial export sector.

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[onlyone]

Does a trade surplus matter that much anymore, given our membership of the euro, or is it a bit like the Eurovision, a meaningless but fun competition?