Ola Cuba

Ecuador November Trade Deficit $71M Vs Surplus $408M Yr Earlier

O (Dow Jones)--Ecuador posted a trade deficit of $71 million in November from a deficit of $408 million a year earlier, the nation's central bank reported.

Ecuador posted a trade surplus of $79 million in October.

In the latest issue of its statistics bulletin, the Central Bank of Ecuador reported that exports rose 16% to $1.21 billion in November from $1.04 billion in the year ago period.

Imports were down 12% to $1.28 billion in November from $1.45 billion in November 2008.

According the report, oil exports totaled $659 million in November, or 54% of the total, while non-petroleum products reached $555 million, or 46%.

Among those goods, crude oil led at $604 million, bananas at $169 million, oil products, $55 million, fishing products, $42 million, shrimp, $42 million, and flowers with $41 million.

Of total imports registered in November, raw materials were $410 million, capital goods were $345 million and consumer goods were $278 million.

Ecuador posted a trade deficit of $348 million in the first 11 months of 2009, compared with a surplus of $1.5 billion a year earlier.

During the January-November period, Ecuador posted an oil trade surplus of $4.1 billion and a non-oil trade deficit of $4.46 billion.

All figures have been rounded.