Mexico’s Trade Surplus Reaches $9.857 Billion in First Half of 2026, Sevenfold Increase from Previous Year

Original article: México dispara su superávit comercial: US$9,857 millones en el primer semestre, siete veces más que en 2025

Mexican foreign trade saw a significant upswing from January to June 2026, achieving a surplus of 9.857 billion dollars, a figure that is nearly seven times higher than the 1.432 billion during the same period last year, according to official data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).

This result positions the balance of trade for the Latin American country unusually favorably, driven mainly by the dynamism of non-oil exports, which offset the mixed performance in the energy sector and imports.

June was particularly decisive for this result, with a monthly surplus of 4.09 billion dollars, largely supported by external sales of non-oil products. This performance not only solidified the positive trend of the semester but also improved upon May’s favorable balance of 2.259 billion dollars.

The autonomous agency explained that the improvement from the previous month was due to a surge in the surplus of non-oil products and an increase in the deficit of oil products, indicating a trade structure increasingly oriented towards industrial goods.

Throughout the first six months, total exports grew by 24.6 percent year-on-year, reaching 389.723 billion dollars. However, within this category, varying scenarios were noted; for instance, crude oil and derivatives sales fell by 2.9 percent, closing at 10.866 billion dollars, whereas non-oil exports skyrocketed by 25.6 percent, totaling 378.856 billion dollars, as reported by the portal El Dinero and the EFE agency.

On the import side, total imports increased by 22 percent over the semester, amounting to 379.866 billion dollars. This increase reflects heightened economic activity and demand for production inputs, although at a slightly slower pace than exports, allowing for an expansion of the positive balance.

Imports of oil products rose by 12.1 percent (26.211 billion dollars), while non-oil imports grew by 22.8 percent (353.656 billion), suggesting that the country continues to depend on foreign hydrocarbons despite its own production.

Surplus in June

June alone recorded a surplus of 4.09 billion dollars, with a 34.4 percent year-on-year increase in exports. This rise was led by oil sales, which grew by 43.4 percent year-on-year (2.091 billion dollars), although their relative weight remains less compared to non-oil exports, which surged by 34.1 percent (70.460 billion). Simultaneously, imports in June rose by 28 percent (68.461 billion), with energy purchases increasing by 39.8 percent (5.487 billion) and non-oil purchases advancing by 27.1 percent (62.974 billion).

It is worth noting that in 2025, Mexico ended with a surplus of 771 million dollars, reversing the 8.212 billion deficit recorded in 2024. Last year, it consolidated a stronger external position, bolstered by its manufacturing sector and a market diversification strategy that reduced vulnerability to oil price fluctuations.