Fiamp: export results for first six months

According to Fiamp-Edison Foundation, footwear, eyewear, gold-jewelry and leatherwear recorded a 3.9% overall increase in exports on a three-monthly and six-monthly basis compared to the same periods last year.

The development of exports in individual Fiamp sectors during the second quarter of 2005 still shows some differences in the four product segments.

Leatherwear recorded the greatest increases in the second quarter 2005 (+20.3%) and in the six months as a whole (+17%), although they are influenced by the logistical movement of products to Switzerland. The gold and jewelry sector had an 11.1% increase in export value in the second quarter of the year and closed the first six months with +10.3%, despite the strong downturn in operator margins. Eyewear exports grew by 3% in the second quarter and by 8.9% in the first half year. The negative trend persists for footwear exports which dropped by 4.6% in the second quarter and 3.7% over the six-month period.

On analyzing the overall exports to the main importing countries, in the second six months of 2005 Fiamp has noticed a decline compared to the same period 2004 in exports to the main outlet: the United States (a variation of -8.7% in the third quarter and -5.2% in the first six months of 2005). France is confirmed in second place with a quarterly figure of +5.1% and +2.1% for the half year; Switzerland jumped to third place in the value of Italian exports during the second quarter (+4.9%), ahead of Germany which had a quarterly drop of 3.1% and 4.6% over the six months. However, Germany is still in third place in the exports classification for the first six months of the year.

In the eyewear sector, the first three places are still held by the United States, France and Spain.