1997 foreign trade turnover reached 428.19 bn Sk

Foreign trade turnover for the January - August period was 428.19 billion Sk, an 11.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 1996, the Slovak Statistical Office (ŠÚSR) reported. The trade deficit reached 37.54 billion Sk, increasing by 1.63 billion Sk in August. The August increase was the lowest monthly increase since June 1996 (the trade deficit for August 1996 was 3.99 billion Sk). In the first eight months, Slovakia ran a trade deficit of 7.62 billion Sk with OECD countries, of which 3.57 billion was with EU countries and 1.60 billion with EFTA members. On the contrary, with CEFTA countries it recorded a surplus of 8.56 billion Sk.