Trade deficit at 28.2billion leke, down 5.2% on the year

TIRANA, Jan 7؁lbania showed a trade deficit of 28.2 billion leks (204.5 million euro, $293.5 million) in November, down 5.2% on the year and up 1.5% on the month, the National Institute of Statistics reported.
Exports totaled 9.5 billion leks (69.3 million euro, $99.5 million), rising by 4.7% from a year earlier and decreasing 0.8% on the previous month.
Imports were 37.7 billion leks (273.8 million euro, $393.1 million), down 2.9% on the year and 0.9% from October, INSTAT said in a statement.
Of total transactions, 66.4% were with European Union countries. Greece and Italy remain Albania’s main trade partners.
Albania recorded GDP growth of 4.1% in the third quarter from a year earlier, up 0.4% against the second quarter, INSTAT reported.
All sectors showed rises in the third quarter except industry, down 4.5%, and construction, which slipped 0.7%.
The highest increases were registered in telecommunications (34.3%), transport (15.5%) and trade (6.4%), INSTAT said in a statement.