Exports rise in March and reduce the trade deficit
Sales of goods abroad grow more than 5% both in Catalonia and in the State as a whole
BarcelonaGoods exports rose last March aftera February marked by the poor performance of the external sectorIn the first three months of 2026, Catalan exports fell by 1.5% compared to the first quarter of last year, reaching 24,682 million euros, but imports fell even more, by 4.7%, to 27,751 million. Thus, the trade deficit also continued to close in the first quarter at almost one billion, going from 4,062 million recorded between January and March 2025 to 3,069 million euros in the same period this year.
These figures place the weight of Catalonia's external sector slightly above 25% of the Spanish total, both in exports and imports, a figure that has remained quite stable for years.
The automotive sector was the main driver of export growth in Catalonia, thanks to an 11% increase and sales outside the State of 1,359 million euros. This figure represents good news for this industry, which has a significant weight in the Catalan economy and which, since the outbreak of the pandemic, has been in a constant state of crisis in Europe due to the rising cost of fuel, supply chain problems, Chinese competition, US tariffs, and the costs of transitioning to electric vehicles.
The capital goods manufacturing industry also rebounded in March, even more so than automotive, with 14% annual growth and sales worth 1,668 million. In contrast, despite remaining Catalonia's top exporting sector with 2,529 million, the chemical industry's foreign sales fell by 5.3%.
By destinations, the European Union accounts for more than half of exports and maintained a growth equal to the average of the external sector, of 5.2%. On the other hand, exports to Asia fell by 5% and those to America increased, thanks to the 28% annual rise in sales to the United States, after more than a year had passed since Donald Trump's return to the country's presidency and the start of the trade war with the EU. Regarding imports, those from America fell by 21%, a result of companies' reluctance to seek suppliers in the US, as well as the sharp fall, of 256%, in purchases from Brazil.
The State also cuts the trade deficit
On a Spanish scale, total exports in March were 35,859 million, an annual increase of 5.1%, the second highest figure ever recorded, according to the ministry. Imports were cut by 1.6%, to 40,231 million, which placed Spain's trade deficit with foreign countries at 4,371 million euros, 20% less than in March of the previous year.
In the first quarter, exports increased a slight 0.7%, to 96,506 million, while imports fell by 2.5%, to 108,183 million. Thus, the Spanish trade deficit fell from 15,099 million in the first three months of 2025 to 11,677 million in the same period this year, a reduction of 22%.
