BRUSSELS (AFX) - The euro zone's January trade deficit widened to 7.4 bln eur in January against a revised 0.2 bln surplus in December and the 5.0 bln eur deficit posted in January a year earlier, said the EU's statistical office Eurostat when releasing preliminary January figures.
The December figure was revised to a 0.2 bln eur surplus from the 0.7 bln surplus announced on Feb 19.
The euro zone's January exports fell to 79 bln eur against a revised 85.5 bln a month earlier, while imports rose to 86.4 bln from revised 85.3 bln.
"Compared with Jan 2000, trade continued to grow strongly in Jan 2001, with extra-EU 15 and extra-euro zone flows growing by around 20 pct and intra flows by 15 pct," it said.