Exports for September 2018 in Albania increased by 8.7 percent compared with the same period of previous year and by 28.0 percent compared with August 2018, Albanian National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) published on Wednesday.

According to the latest report from INSTAT, the value of imports in September 2018 decreased by 4.7 percent compared with the same period of previous year and increased by 5.5 percent compared with August 2018.

In September, the trade deficit reached the value of 25 billion Albanian Lek (around 20.3 million U.S. dollars), signing a decrease by 15.6 percent compared with September 2017 and 11.1 percent compared with August 2018.

Meanwhile, the data from INSTAT show that in nine months of 2018, the value of exports was 231 billion Albanian Lek increasing by 15.3 percent compared with previous year, whereas the value of imports was 467 billion Albanian lek increasing by 3 percent.

In nine months the trade deficit in Albania was 235 billion Albanian lek, decreasing by 6.7 percent compared with the same period of 2017.

According to INSTAT, the groups that influenced more in annual increase of imports are minerals, fuels, electricity with 5.6 percent, construction materials and metals with 4.1 percent, textile and footwear with 2.7 percent.