Italian exports up 0.6% in 2nd quarter (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, August 10 - Italian exports increased 0.6% in the second quarter of 2017 with respect to the previous three months, thanks to a 2.3% rise in exports to other EU countries, ISTAT said Thursday. Imports were up 0.9% in the second quarter, the national statistics agency said. It said June exports were 1% down on May but 8.2% higher with respect to the same month last year. It said imports were down 2.9% in June on May but up 9.9% in year-on-year terms. Italy's trade surplus for the first half of 2017 was 19.1 billion euros, 36 billion when energy products are excluded, ISTAT said on Thursday.
    The national statistics agency said exports were up 8% in the first six months of 2017 with respect to the same period last year, while imports were up 11.3%.