Egypt's trade deficit was down 15.7 percent in June compared to the same month last year, to reach EGP 29.7 billion, the state's statistics body, CAPMAS, said in a statement Wednesday. On a monthly basis, the deficit registered a decrease from the 24.6 percent figure in May. Exports increased by 15.9 percent to reach EGP 17.1 billion with fertilisers' exports increasing by 145 percent and soap and detergents exports increasing by 133.3 percent. However, petroleum product exports decreased by 21.7 percent. Imports decreased by 6.3 percent, reaching EGP 46.8 billion compared to EGP 50 billion in the same month a year earlier. But some imports categories increased, such as passenger cars with a 10.2 percent rise, meat by 26.2 percent, and medicine and its raw materials by 21.6 percent.
