March exports were stuck at the same level as a year earlier after a stronger start to the year.
Finnish goods exports remained unchanged from a year earlier, as the electrical, metal and chemical sectors remained sluggish. However livelier exports in January and February led to overall year-on-year growth of six percent in the first quarter, the Finnish Customs said on Wednesday.
The value of exports in March was just over 5.4 billion euros. Meanwhile imports slowed by three percent compared to March 2018. At over 5.5 billion euros, however they still slightly outweighed exports.
Mercedes sales accelerate
In the first three months of the year, imports dipped by two percent compared to the same period last year.
Customs officials say that March showed declines in exports of electrical devices as well as chemical and metal products.
On the plus side, there was growth in exports of industrial machinery, pulp, lumber goods and as well as instruments and measuring devices. Vehicle exports also expanded, mostly made up of Mercedes A-class and GLC-class cars built by Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki.
Exports to EU swell while others dawdle
The statistics show a growing divergence in Finnish trade with the other 27 EU countries compared with the rest of the world - which includes neighbouring Russia and Norway.
Exports to both EU and non-EU countries stayed at the previous year's level in March. That month, imports from other EU states slipped by two percent while imports from non-EU countries dropped by five percent.
Despite the March doldrums, overall first-quarter exports to the EU swelled by eight percent, but just by three percent elsewhere. Between January and March, imports from the EU edged up by one percent, while falling by six percent from the rest of the world.
