Australia’s trade surplus almost halved in July as key overseas shipments of coal and iron ore tumbled, while holidaymakers headed abroad to take advantage of the northern hemisphere summer.
The surplus narrowed to A$8.7 billion ($5.9 billion) from a revised record A$17.1 billion in June and well shy of economists’ estimates of A$14.7 billion, Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed on Thursday. Exports plunged 10%, while imports jumped 5%.
Chalmers will deliver his first budget on Oct. 25.
Australia has posted monthly trade windfalls for 4-1/2 years, underpinned by sales of iron ore and natural gas. The nation is also a major exporter of commodities like wheat that have also surged amid concerns that war-ravaged Ukraine would be unable to deliver its harvest.
Thursday’s data showed services imports -- which cover outbound tourists -- soared, while earnings from coal exports tumbled 17% and iron ore almost 15%.