The Netherlands' current account surplus increased markedly in the first quarter of 2013, helped mainly by an improvement in foreign trade and higher net income, data released by the central bank showed Monday.
The current account surplus increased to EUR22.6 billion in the first quarter from EUR16.66 billion in the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, the balance was a surplus of EUR12.91 billion.
Driving the improvement of the overall balance, the goods trade surplus rose to EUR16.75 billion from EUR12.44 billion in the fourth quarter, and services surplus advanced to EUR3.68 billion from EUR3.25 billion.
The balance of the income account was a surplus of EUR6.03 billion in the first quarter, higher than fourth quarter's EUR4.62 billion surplus.
Meanwhile, offsetting these positive contributions partially, the current transfers account showed a deficit of EUR3.86 billion at the end of March 2013, slightly wider than the EUR3.64 billion shortfall seen at the end of last year.
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