France’s trade deficit widened to €6.9 billion in May 2026 from €5.4 billion in April, exceeding expectations of a €5.2 billion shortfall. This marked the largest trade gap since April 2025, as exports fell 2.0% month-on-month to €53.6 billion, weighed down by lower shipments of mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (-4.4%) and natural hydrocarbons and other extractive products (-4.5%). By destination, exports declined to the EU (-0.9%), Africa (-17.0%), and the Americas (-3.2%), while rising to Asia (+9.9%) and the Middle East (+14.4%). Meanwhile, imports increased 0.7% to €60.5 billion, driven by higher purchases of refined petroleum products (+10.2%), transport equipment (+3.9%), other industrial products (+1.1%), and mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer equipment (+1.0%). By origin, imports rose from the EU (+1.1%) and the Middle East (+38.4%), remained broadly unchanged from Asia, and declined from the Americas (-3.8%) and Africa (-8.8%).

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