France's trade deficit widened in February to 5.2 billion euros, the biggest since August 2014, seasonally adjusted data published on Thursday by the customs office showed, reports Reuters.
After a deficit of 3.9 billion euros in January, revised from a preliminary estimate of 3.7 billion, the trade balance deteriorated sharply in February as imports surged on the delivery of inputs for the French car and aerospace industries from abroad, while overall exports dipped, the customs office said.
The trade deficit weighed heavily on the current account, pushing it to a deficit of 3.9 billion euros in February - the biggest since June 2014 - wider than the 2.2 billion in January, the Bank of France said separately. It revised the January deficit from a preliminary estimate of 1.4 billion euros.
France has run a trade deficit every month since May 2004 as French firms have seen their share of international markets dwindle in the face of declining competitiveness. France posted its biggest monthly deficit in April 2011 with a trade gap of 7.024 billion euros.