Australia Balance of Trade

Info

History

Chart

Impact:

High

Latest Release:

Surprise:

AUD-2.632B

AUD

Actual:

A$2.968B

Forecast: A$5.6B

Previous/Revision:

A$5.156B

Period: Apr 2025

Next Release:

Forecast: A$3.13B

Period: May 2025

What Does It Measure?

The Australia Balance of Trade measures the difference in value between the country's imports and exports over a specific period, serving as a key indicator of economic health. Focusing on trade flows, it highlights Australia's trade surplus or deficit and is a national indicator essential for assessing economic performance.

Frequency

The Balance of Trade report for Australia is released monthly, typically around the first week of the subsequent month, and it provides final figures with occasional revisions in later reports.

Why Do Traders Care?

Traders closely monitor the Balance of Trade as it directly influences the Australian dollar's valuation and impacts economic forecasts. A trade surplus tends to be bullish for the AUD as it suggests stronger foreign demand for Australian goods and services, while a deficit can exert bearish pressure due to increased foreign exchange outflows.

What Is It Derived From?

The Balance of Trade is derived from the aggregation of export and import data collected by Australian customs and statistical agencies. It involves compiling comprehensive trade statistics that include goods, services, and capital transfers to establish whether Australia is a net exporter or importer during the period.

Description

The monthly release of Australia's Balance of Trade data captures the net difference between exports and imports and is fundamental in understanding the country's foreign trade position. Preliminary data might be adjusted as more complete information becomes available, whereas final data gives a more accurate reflection but comes later. Financial markets are especially responsive to preliminary figures due to their earlier release and timeliness, but revisions can also lead to market recalibrations. This metric is typically reported on a month-over-month basis, providing insights into immediate changes in trade dynamics and indicating potential shifts in the economic landscape based on short-term export-import activity.

Additional Notes

The Balance of Trade is a coincident economic indicator, often used in conjunction with other data like GDP growth, to gauge Australia's current economic health. It also offers insights into global commodity market movements, as Australia is a significant exporter of raw materials, linking its trade performance to broader trends in regional and global demand.

Bullish or Bearish for Currency and Stocks

Higher than expected: Bullish for AUD, Bullish for Australian Stocks. Lower than expected: Bearish for AUD, Bearish for Australian Stocks.

Legend

High Potential Impact
This event has a strong potential to move markets significantly. If the ‘Actual’ value differs enough from the forecast or if the ‘Previous’ value is significantly revised, it signals new information that markets may rapidly adjust to.

Medium Potential Impact
This event may cause moderate market movement, especially if the ‘Actual’ deviates from the forecast or there’s a notable revision to the ‘Previous’ value.

Medium Potential Impact
This event is unlikely to affect market pricing unless there’s an unexpected surprise or a major revision to prior data.

Surprise - Currency May Strengthen
'Actual' deviated from 'Forecast' on a medium or high impact event and historically could strengthen the currency.

Surprise - Currency May Weaken
'Actual' deviated from 'Forecast' on a medium or high impact event and historically could weaken the currency.

Big Surprise - Currency More Likely To Strengthen
'Actual' deviated from 'Forecast' more than 75% of historical deviations on a medium or high impact event and may likely strengthen the currency.

Big Surprise - Currency More Likely To Weaken
'Actual' deviated from 'Forecast' more than 75% of historical deviations on a medium or high impact event and may likely weaken the currency.

Green Number	Better than forecast for the currency (or previous revise better)
Red Number	Worse than forecast for the currency (or previous revise better)
Hawkish	Supports higher interest rates to fight inflation, strengthening the currency but weighing on stocks.
Dovish	Favors lower rates to boost growth, weakening the currency but lifting stocks.

Date	Actual	Forecast	Previous	Surprise
Apr 03, 2025	A$2.968B	A$5.6B	A$5.156B	A$-2.632B
Mar 06, 2025	A$5.62B	A$5.5B	A$4.924B	A$0.12B
Feb 06, 2025	A$5.085B	A$7B	A$6.792B	A$-1.915B
Jan 09, 2025	A$7.079B	A$5.75B	A$5.67B	A$1.329B
Dec 05, 2024	A$5.953B	A$4.55B	A$4.532B	A$1.403B
Nov 07, 2024	A$4.609B	A$5.3B	A$5.284B	A$-0.691B
Oct 03, 2024	A$5.644B	A$5.5B	A$5.636B	A$0.144B
Sep 05, 2024	A$6.009B	A$5B	A$5.425B	A$1.009B
Aug 01, 2024	A$5.589B	A$5B	A$5.052B	A$0.589B
Jul 04, 2024	A$5.773B	A$6.678B	A$6.027B	A$-0.905B
Jun 06, 2024	A$6.548B	A$5.4B	A$4.841B	A$1.148B
May 02, 2024	A$5.024B	A$7.3B	A$6.591B	A$-2.276B
Apr 05, 2024	A$7.28B	A$10.4B	A$10.058B	A$-3.12B
Mar 07, 2024	A$11.027B	A$11.5B	A$10.743B	A$-0.473B
Feb 05, 2024	A$10.959B	A$11B	A$11.764B	A$-0.041B
Jan 11, 2024	A$11.437B	A$7.5B	A$7.66B	A$3.937B
Dec 07, 2023	A$7.129B	A$7.5B	A$6.184B	A$-0.371B
Nov 02, 2023	A$6.786B	A$9.4B	A$10.161B	A$-2.614B
Oct 05, 2023	A$9.64B	A$8.725B	A$7.324B	A$0.915B
Sep 07, 2023	A$8.039B	A$10B	A$10.268B	A$-1.961B
Aug 03, 2023	A$11.321B	A$11B	A$10.497B	A$0.321B
Jul 06, 2023	A$11.791B	A$10.5B	A$10.454B	A$1.291B
Jun 08, 2023	A$11.158B	A$14B	A$14.822B	A$-2.842B
May 04, 2023	A$15.269B	A$12.65B	A$14.151B	A$2.619B
Apr 06, 2023	A$13.87B	A$11.1B	A$11.266B	A$2.77B
Mar 07, 2023	A$11.688B	A$12.5B	A$12.985B	A$-0.812B
Feb 07, 2023	A$12.237B	A$12.5B	A$13.475B	A$-0.263B
Jan 12, 2023	A$13.201B	A$10.5B	A$12.217B	A$2.701B
Dec 08, 2022	A$12.217B	A$12.1B	A$12.444B	A$0.117B
Nov 03, 2022	A$12.444B	A$8.85B	A$8.664B	A$3.594B
Oct 06, 2022	A$8.324B	A$10.1B	A$8.967B	A$-1.776B
Sep 08, 2022	A$8.733B	A$14.5B	A$17.13B	A$-5.767B
Aug 04, 2022	A$17.67B	A$14B	A$15.016B	A$3.67B
Jul 07, 2022	A$15.965B	A$10.725B	A$13.248B	A$5.24B
Jun 02, 2022	A$10.495B	A$9.3B	A$9.738B	A$1.195B
May 05, 2022	A$9.314B	A$8.5B	A$7.437B	A$0.814B
Apr 07, 2022	A$7.457B	A$12B	A$11.786B	A$-4.543B
Mar 03, 2022	A$12.891B	A$9.05B	A$8.824B	A$3.841B
Feb 03, 2022	A$8.356B	A$13B	A$9.756B	A$-4.644B
Jan 11, 2022	A$9.423B	A$10.6B	A$10.781B	A$-1.177B
Dec 02, 2021	A$11.22B	A$11B	A$11.824B	A$0.22B
Nov 04, 2021	A$12.243B	A$12.2B	A$14.739B	A$0.043B
Oct 05, 2021	A$15.077B	A$10.3B	A$12.65B	A$4.777B
Sep 02, 2021	A$12.117B	A$10.2B	A$11.114B	A$1.917B
Aug 05, 2021	A$10.496B	A$10.45B	A$9.269B	A$0.046B
Jul 01, 2021	A$9.681B	A$10B	A$8.157B	A$-0.319B
Jun 03, 2021	A$8.028B	A$7.9B	A$5.794B	A$0.128B
May 04, 2021	A$5.574B	A$8B	A$7.595B	A$-2.426B
Apr 01, 2021	A$7.529B	A$9.7B	A$9.616B	A$-2.171B
Mar 04, 2021	A$10.142B	A$6.5B	A$7.133B	A$3.642B
Feb 04, 2021	A$6.785B	A$4.4B	A$5.014B	A$2.385B
Jan 07, 2021	A$5.022B	A$6B	A$6.583B	A$-0.978B
Dec 03, 2020	A$7.456B	A$5.8B	A$5.815B	A$1.656B
Nov 05, 2020	A$5.63B	A$2.1B	A$2.618B	A$3.53B
Oct 06, 2020	A$2.643B	A$5.154B	A$4.652B	A$-2.511B
Sep 03, 2020	A$4.607B	A$5.4B	A$8.149B	A$-0.793B
Aug 04, 2020	A$8.202B	A$8.8B	A$7.341B	A$-0.598B
Jul 02, 2020	A$8.025B	A$9B	A$7.83B	A$-0.975B
Jun 04, 2020	A$8.8B	A$7.5B	A$10.44B	A$1.3B
May 07, 2020	A$10.6B	A$6.8B	A$3.87B	A$3.8B
Apr 07, 2020	A$4.36B	A$3.65B	A$4.74B	A$0.71B
Mar 05, 2020	A$5.21B	A$4.8B	A$5.38B	A$0.41B
Feb 06, 2020	A$5.22B	A$5.95B	A$5.51B	A$-0.73B
Jan 09, 2020	A$5.8B	A$4.15B	A$4.075B	A$1.65B
Dec 05, 2019	A$4.5B	A$6.1B	A$6.85B	A$-1.6B
Nov 07, 2019	A$7.18B	A$5B	A$6.626B	A$2.18B
Oct 03, 2019	A$5.926B	A$6B	A$7.253B	A$-0.074B
Sep 05, 2019	A$7.268B	A$7.4B	A$7.977B	A$-0.132B
Aug 06, 2019	A$8.036B	A$6B	A$6.173B	A$2.036B
Jul 03, 2019	A$5.745B	A$5.25B	A$4.82B	A$0.495B
Jun 06, 2019	A$4.871B	A$5.1B	A$4.887B	A$-0.229B
May 07, 2019	A$4.949B	A$4.3B	A$5.141B	A$0.649B
Apr 03, 2019	A$4.801B	A$3.8B	A$4.351B	A$1.001B
Mar 07, 2019	A$4.549B	A$3B	A$3.769B	A$1.549B
Feb 05, 2019	A$3.681B	A$2.3B	A$2.256B	A$1.381B
Jan 08, 2019	A$1.925B	A$2.23B	A$2.013B	A$-0.305B
Dec 06, 2018	A$2.316B	A$3.2B	A$2.94B	A$-0.884B
Nov 01, 2018	A$3.017B	A$1.7B	A$2.342B	A$1.317B
Oct 04, 2018	A$1.604B	A$1.4B	A$1.548B	A$0.204B
Sep 06, 2018	A$1.551B	A$1.4B	A$1.937B	A$0.151B
Aug 02, 2018	A$1.873B	A$0.9B	A$0.725B	A$0.973B
Jul 04, 2018	A$0.83B	A$1.2B	A$0.47B	A$-0.37B
Jun 07, 2018	A$0.977B	A$0.98B	A$1.73B	A$-0.003B
May 03, 2018	A$1.53B	A$0.65B	A$1.35B	A$0.88B
Apr 05, 2018	A$0.825B	A$0.7B	A$0.95B	A$0.125B
Mar 08, 2018	A$1.055B	A$0.3B	A$-1.1146B	A$0.755B
Feb 06, 2018	A$-1.358B	A$0.2B	A$36B	A$-1.558B
Jan 05, 2018	A$-0.628B	A$0.55B	A$-0.302B	A$-1.178B
Dec 07, 2017	A$0.105B	A$1.4B	A$1.604B	A$-1.295B
Nov 02, 2017	A$1.745B	A$0.9B	A$0.873B	A$0.845B
Oct 05, 2017	A$0.99B	A$0.9B	A$808M	A$0.09B
Sep 07, 2017	A$0.46B	A$0.875B	A$0.89B	A$-0.415B
Aug 03, 2017	A$0.86B	A$1.8B	A$2.02B	A$-0.94B
Jul 06, 2017	A$2.471B	A$1.1B	A$0.09B	A$1.371B
Jun 08, 2017	A$0.555B	A$1.9B	A$3.169B	A$-1.345B
May 04, 2017	A$3.11B	A$3.4B	A$3.66B	A$-0.29B
Apr 04, 2017	A$3.57B	A$1.8B	A$1.5B	A$1.77B
Mar 02, 2017	A$1.3B	A$3.8B	A$3.33B	A$-2.5B
Feb 02, 2017	A$3.51B	A$2.2B	A$2.04B	A$1.31B
Jan 06, 2017	A$1.24B	A$0.915B	A$-1.12B	A$0.325B
Dec 08, 2016	A$-1.54B	A$-0.8B	A$-1.27B	A$-0.74B
Nov 03, 2016	A$-1.23B	A$-1.7B	A$-1.89B	A$0.47B
Oct 06, 2016	A$-2.01B	A$-2.3B	A$-2.12B	A$0.29B
Sep 08, 2016	A$-2.04B	A$-2.8B	A$-3.25B	A$0.76B
Aug 02, 2016	A$-3.19B	A$-2B	A$-2.42B	A$-1.19B
Jul 05, 2016	A$-2.22B	A$-1.5B	A$-1.79B	A$-0.72B
Jun 02, 2016	A$-1.58B	A$-2B	A$-1.97B	A$0.42B
May 05, 2016	A$-2.16B	A$-2.9B	A$-3.04B	A$0.74B
Apr 05, 2016	A$-3.41B	A$-2.6B	A$-3.16B	A$-0.81B
Mar 03, 2016	A$-2.94B	A$-3.1B	A$-3.52B	A$0.16B
Feb 03, 2016	A$-3.535B	A$-2.5B	A$-2.73B	A$-1.035B
Jan 07, 2016	A$-2.9B	A$-3.1B	A$-3.25B
Dec 03, 2015	A$-3.3B	A$-2.665B	A$-2.4B	A$-0.635B
Nov 04, 2015	A$-2.32B	A$-3B	A$-2.71B	A$0.68B
Oct 06, 2015	A$-3.1B	A$-2.55B	A$-2.79B	A$-0.55B
Sep 03, 2015	A$-2.46B	A$-3.1B	A$-3.05B	A$0.64B
Aug 04, 2015	A$-2.93B	A$-3.1B	A$-2.68BR)	A$0.17B
Jul 02, 2015	A$-2.75B	A$-2.2B	A$-4.13B	A$-0.55B
Jun 04, 2015	A$-3.89B	A$-2.3B	A$-1.23B	A$-1.59B
May 05, 2015	A$-1.32B	A$-1B	A$-1.07B	A$-0.32B