Bankinter : Trade Balance (Dec): €22.2bn versus €19bn expected against €20.8bn previous (revised from €20.4bn). Exports -4.6% versus -2.8% expected versus +3.5% previous. Imports -6.7% versus -1.9% expected versus +1.5% previous.
Assessment: The improvement in the trade surplus stems from a sharp drop in imports in the month, reflecting the weakness of the country’s domestic demand. 4Q23 GDP contracted -0.3% year-on-year (versus +0.0% in 3Q23) resulting in a -0.3% year-on-year decline (versus +1.8% previously).
