Czech Trade Surplus February 2008

The Czech trade surplus swelled in February to the largest in 11 months as exporters withstood the effect of the appreciating currency. The positive balance reached 14.3 billion koruna ($893.6 million) after January's 12.2 billion koruna and 12.9 billion koruna in February 2007, the Prague-based statistics office said earlier today.




February exports amounted to 215 billion koruna, increasing 11.4 percent from the same month of last year and led by vehicles and machines. Imports totaled 200.8 billion koruna, up 11.5 percent from a year earlier.




Czech monetary policy makers refrained from raising borrowing costs in March over concerns about the strong koruna and the prospect of a sluggish economy in the euro area will contain inflation and curb local economic expansion.