($1 = 22.3590 Czech crowns) (Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Toby Chopra)
PRAGUE, March 9 (Reuters) - Czech foreign trade posted a
9.5 billion crown ($425 million) surplus in January, 2.1 billion
crowns higher than a year ago but below a Reuters poll forecast
of 15.3 billion crowns, statistics office data showed on
Thursday.
The country's trade deficit ballooned in 2022 amid more
expensive commodity imports. The trade balance, though, has
traditionally posted surpluses in January, going back to 2010,
the statistics office said.
"This time, exports of motor vehicles in particular were
successful, increasing by almost a quarter year-on-year in the
reporting month, and thus slightly exceeding CZK 100 billion,”
Stanislav Konvicka, head of the statistic office's trade balance
unit, said.
Analysts expect the Czech trade balance to improve in 2023
after hitting a deficit of 189 billion crowns in 2022. Komercni
Banka has forecast the deficit to be cut roughly in half this
year.
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