Cyprus Trade Balance Deficit Reaches EUR 4.68bn

Macro/Political:

• Provisional data released by CyStat showed that in the period of January – June 2026 the trade balance was in deficit of EUR 4,679.1mn compared to a deficit of EUR 4,055.1mn in the corresponding period of 2025. Total imports of goods in June amounted to EUR 1,289.3mn (11.9% y-o-y) while total exports were EUR 463mn (-9.9% y-o-y).
  Source: CyStat

• In April 2026, the number of building permits authorized by the municipal authorities in Cyprus stood at 639.During the period January-April 2026, 2,915, building permits were issued compared to 2,157 in the corresponding period of the previous year, recording an increase of 35.1%.
  Source: CyStat

• The Cyprus Composite Leading Economic Index (CCLEI) remained in negative territory in July 2026, recording a year-over-year decrease of 0.43%. The milder year-over-year decline was shaped by the price of Brent crude oil recording a y-o-y increase, while tourist arrivals remained at lower levels on an annual basis. Meanwhile, property sales contracts, retail trade, and electricity production made positive contributions to the y-o-y growth rate of the CCLEI, limiting the overall negative impact of other components.
  Overall, the milder year-over-year decline in the CCLEI suggests that the negative trend is easing, without, however, eliminating the short-term challenges facing the Cypriot economy.
  Source: UCY