Greek current account gap widens 26 pct y/y in April

 

Tue Jun 25, 2013 4:17am EDT

ATHENS, June 25 (Reuters) - Greece's current account deficit
widened 26 percent in April, due to a higher trade gap and lower
tourism and shipping receipts, the Bank of Greece said
on Tuesday.
    The current account balance, a key measure of economic
competitiveness, showed a deficit of 1.187 billion euros ($1.55
billion) from 945 million euros in the same month last year.
    Tourism receipts, the country's biggest money earner,
dropped 13 percent year-on-year to 290 million euros in April.
This brings total tourism receipts in the first four months of
the year to 683 million euros, down 7.9 percent compared with
the same period last year.
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    KEY FIGURES (bln euros)      2013    2012
    April                       -1.187  -0.945
    March                       -1.285  -2.237                  
    February                    -0.716  -1.126
    January                     -0.222  -1.447
    Jan-April                   -3.534  -5.756
    ------------------------------------------
    source: Bank of Greece