Thus, the year's cumulative total closes with total imports of USD 75.791 billion, an increase of 24.7% over the USD 60.776 billion recorded in 2024. In reality, during this period, the quantity of imported goods grew by 30.5% year-on-year (amid an annual price drop of 4.5%), due to a 110.0% annual increase in vehicle imports, as well as a 53.3% rise in consumer goods, a 45.1% increase in capital goods, and increases of 18.9% in parts and accessories and 10.1% in intermediate goods. The only drop in quantities was recorded in fuels and lubricants, which fell by 2.6%. In the result, vehicle purchases (which summed USD 2.444 billion to imports, 17% of the total) contributed strongly, as well as the entry of products via courier services, which grew from USD 239 million in 2024 to USD 894 million in 2025, a 274% annual increase (and USD 655 million in absolute terms, placing it as the third item with the largest increase in value). In December, Argentina recorded a trade surplus of USD 1.892 billion. The positive trade balance is explained by the greater dynamism of exports (+5.7% year-on-year) compared to imports (+3.5% y.o.y.). The December surplus received contributions of USD 1.499 billion from the soy sector, USD 769 million from fuels, and a trade deficit of USD 418 million in automobiles and their parts. In sectoral terms, the country accumulated a positive annual balance in the soybean sector of USD 18.495 billion, thanks to total exports of USD 21.015 billion (with a 9.0% year-on-year increase, especially in soybeans, which grew 145% in value and 168.5% in volume) against imports of USD 2.520 billion (a 22.0% y.o.y. drop). Meanwhile, the fuel sector recorded a positive balance of USD 6.663 billion for the year, with exports of USD 9.705 billion (+17.8% y.o.y.) and a drop in imports of USD 3.043 billion (19.5% y.o.y.). In contrast, a trade deficit of USD 8.394 billion was observed in the automotive sector (more than twice that of 2024, which recorded USD -3,339), explained by an increase in imports (to USD 12.469 billion) and a 2.8% annual drop in exports (to USD 8.820 billion). Exchange by countries Throughout the year, Argentina showed a deficit of USD 8.155 billion with China and one of USD 5.653 billion with Brazil, followed by the European Union (USD -1.992 billion). In contrast, foreign trade was surplus with Latin American countries (USD 9.033 billion), as well as India (USD 4.035 billion), North America (USD 1.448 billion), ASEAN members (USD 1.214 billion), and Mercosur countries (which, excluding Brazil, was USD 107 million). The balance with the rest of the world was surplus by USD 11.249 billion. What happened with exports? The exported values totaled USD 7.448 billion and rose by 5.7% year-on-year in December, below the growth of November (24.1% y.o.y.). External sales grew thanks to a 6.2% year-on-year increase in quantities, offset by a drop in perceived prices (-0.5%). At the sectoral level, Primary Products showed the largest increase in quantities (43.0%), followed by Fuels and Energy (12.7%), while drops were seen in Industrial Origin Manufactures (-12.3%) and Agropecuary Origin Manufactures (-2.3%). In this way, the year closes with total exports of 87.077 billion, a 9.3% increase over the accumulated USD 79.703 billion of 2024. This responds to a cumulative increase of 10% in exported quantities, with a 0.6% drop in prices. Leadership in increases In detail, Fuels led the increases with a 28.5% year-on-year figure in quantities, thanks to the expansion of oil projects in the south of the country. Meanwhile, Primary Products recorded a 25.0% increase in volumes as well, thanks to the good agro-export season, although it did not impact agro-manufactures equally (+3.8% annual). In contrast, industrial manufactures recorded a 0.8% year-on-year drop, offset by a 6.9% annual increase in perceived prices. What happened with imports? Imports accounted for USD 5.596 billion, registering a 3.5% year-on-year increase. This annual increase is the lowest of the year, and lower than November's 6.6%. In detail, imports grew due to a 3.0% expansion in the quantities entered and a 0.4% rise in perceived prices. Within the items, the trend was mixed but more moderate than in previous months, with a strong increase in Motor Vehicles (55.6% year-on-year in value), followed by Consumer Goods (15.5%), and moderate increases in Capital Goods and Intermediate Goods. In contrast, drops were recorded in Parts and Accessories for Capital Goods (-24.5%) and Fuels and Lubricants (-2.4%). Chinese vehicles It was notable in December the increase in imports of Chinese-origin vehicles under the regime of reduction of external tariffs for electric and hybrid vehicles (Decree 49/25). In that context, Chinese imports grew +808% y.o.y., going from 925 units in Dec. 2024 to 8,406 units in Dec. 2025. Buenos Aires, January 21, 2026 (NA) -- The trade balance projects for this year exports that continue to pull, although at a slightly slower pace than in 2025 (+8% vs 9.3% y.o.y.), driven by an energy sector that will deepen its role as the new structural engine of Argentine exports and the agro-industrial complex sustaining itself as a pillar of genuine foreign exchange income, under a neutral climate scenario. Likewise, imports would continue to grow hand in hand with the expansion of the economy, although at a slower pace than the recently closed year (10.4% vs 24.7%), according to a report from Abeceb reported by the Argentine News Agency. It would be the consequence of a more open economy than in 2024, which implies a higher level of imports (measures as % of GDP in local currency at constant prices, in 2025 would have exceeded the peak of the historical series), and therefore a higher base of comparison, as well as the fact that the effects of trade opening were already largely concentrated in 2025. In this way, Abeceb.com foresees a trade balance in 2026 that remains in positive territory, with a surplus of slightly less magnitude than that recorded in 2025, in the range of USD 9,000 and USD 10,000 million. In 2025, a surplus of USD 11,286 million was accumulated, against USD 18,928 million in 2024, due to exports of USD 87,077 million (which showed an increase of 9.3% y.o.y. from 2024).
