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Mexico Posts Record April Trade Flows and $4.52 Billion Surplus

Manufacturing exports to the United States have lifted trade values, with rising imports of production inputs and falling crude export volumes increasing Mexico's exposure as the T‑MEC review begins.

Overview

  • INEGI's Monday release showed April exports rose 32.6% year‑on‑year to $72,042 million and imports climbed 24.1% to $67,522 million, producing a monthly merchandise surplus of $4,520 million and record monthly export and import values.
  • The rebound was driven by manufacturing, with manufacturing exports at $65,687 million, up 34.0%, and non‑petroleum exports to the United States up 34.8%, underlining heavy reliance on US demand.
  • Imports of intermediate goods jumped to $54,228 million, up 29.8%, which supplied factories for export production but also means much of the value added relies on foreign inputs and domestic investment gains were limited.
  • Petroleum export values rose because of higher prices—Mexico's export blend averaged $94.99 per barrel—but exported crude volumes fell to 478,000 barrels per day, muting the benefit of price gains.
  • Mexican officials, led by Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, say the upcoming T‑MEC review will be long and complex and that Mexico will press US tariff and rules‑of‑origin concerns, a negotiation that could affect autos, steel and the durability of the export surge.