Irish trade surplus with US jumps 97% on-year amid trade conflict

(Alliance News) - Ireland's trade surplus surged in January, helped by a sharp increase in its ...

Alliance News 18 March, 2025 | 11:52AM
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(Alliance News) - Ireland's trade surplus surged in January, helped by a sharp increase in its surplus with the US, data published by the Central Statistics Office showed Tuesday.

The country's trade surplus rose 72% to EUR12.20 billion in January from EUR7.10 billion in December.

Ireland's surplus was 46% higher than EUR8.38 billion in January 2024.

Its exports climbed 26% monthly to EUR23.0 billion from EUR18.20 billion, while imports fell 2.6% to EUR10.81 billion in January 2025 from EUR11.10 billion in December 2024.

Notably, Ireland's trade surplus with the US surged 97% to EUR9.68 billion in January, from EUR4.92 billion in January 2024.

Exports to the US jumped 81% on-year in January, to EUR11.74 billion from EUR6.47 billion, while imports from the US rose 33% to EUR2.06 billion from EUR1.56 billion.

The data comes amid an ongoing trade conflict between the EU and the US, with US President Donald Trump having threatened to apply 200% tariffs on wine, champagne and other alcoholic drinks from EU countries.

His threat was a response to the EU's unveiling of tariffs on USD28 billion in US goods, starting in stages from April, which include bourbon, boats and motorbikes.

That followed US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports taking effect the same day.

Last week Wednesday, during a visit by Taoiseach Micheal Martin to the Oval Office, Donald Trump lamented "a massive deficit" with Ireland "and other countries".

Asked if Ireland was taking advantage of the US, Trump said back then: "Of course they are. I have great respect for Ireland, for what they did and they should have done just what they did. But the US shouldn't have let that happen. We had stupid leaders, we had leaders who didn't have a clue.

"All of a sudden Ireland has our pharmaceutical companies, this beautiful island of five million people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasps."

By Tom Budszus, Alliance News slot editor

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