The statistics of the external sector are published

According to the publication calendar, the CBK published the Balance of Payments (BP) statistics for the month of August 2023. (https://bqk-kos.org/statistikat/serite-kohore/).

The balance of payments, until the end of August 2023 was characterized by a current account deficit in the amount of 220.2 million euros, which shows an improvement of 41% compared to the same period last year (372.8 million euros was the deficit until August 2022 ).

The trade balance in goods until August 2023 had a deficit of 2.88 billion euros, which is 3.6% higher compared to the same period of the previous year. Export for this period decreased by 8.2% and marked the value of 566.5 million euros (617.3 million euros was until August 2022). Meanwhile, the import of goods recorded a slight increase of 1.5% reaching the value of 3,447.1 million euros (3,397.4 million euros was until August 2022).

The services account, which constantly has a positive balance, until August 2023 marked the value of 1,277.4 million euros, which represents an increase of 172.5 million euros compared to the same period of 2022.

The primary income until August 2023 recorded a positive balance of 71.5 million euros, while in the same period last year had a value of 68.2 million euros. This represents an increase of about 4.8% compared to the same period last year.

The secondary income remains the main contributor to mitigating the current account deficit. Until August 2023, this account recorded an increase of 6.3% compared to the same period of 2022, reaching the value of 1,311.6 million euros (1,234.2 million euros was until August 2022).

Remittances are the main category within secondary income, the value of which until August 2023 was 895.7 million euros, representing an increase of 93.6 million euros or 11.7% compared to the same period of 2022.

Assets in the financial account until August 2023 were 652.3 million euros. Meanwhile, financial obligations reached the value of 666.0 million euros, for the same period.

Direct investments in Kosovo by the end of August 2023 were 514 million euros (510 million euros until the end of August 2022), while direct investments outside Kosovo marked the value of 145 million euros (109 million euros until August 2022).

Investments in securities abroad, without including securities within reserve assets, until August 2023 have increased by 322 million euros.

Other investments in Kosovo (investments in deposits, loans and commercial loans) until the end of August 2023 were 152 million euros (262 million euros were until August 2022), while other investments outside Kosovo until the end of August 2023 were 24 million euros (101 million euros was until August 2022). The balance of other investments until the end of August 2023 recorded a negative value of 128 million euros.

Reserve assets until August 2023 have increased by 162 million euros, while in the same period of the previous year the increase was by 318 million euros.