Rebound in Iron Ore Exports Returns Goods Trade Balance to Surplus

Australia's goods trade balance reached a A$1.8bn surplus in April 2026, supported by a 7.2% rise in exports led by metal ores and coal.

Key Takeaways

• 1.Australia's goods trade balance returned to a surplus of A$1.8bn in April 2026, matching market expectations.
• 2.Export values rose 7.2% mom, primarily driven by significant increases in metal ores (+18.5%) and coal (+15.2%) exports.
• 3.Import growth was largely flat (+0.8% mom) as a surge in fuel imports was offset by a sharp decline in data centre-related ADP equipment imports.

Table of Contents

• Key numbers:
• Main points:
• The Australia and NZ Economics Team
• Disclosure Appendix