France’s trade deficit widens on energy costs

France’s Trade deficit widened by 2.1 billion euros ($2.37 billion) on a yearly basis to 59.9 billion euros in 2018 due to soaring oil prices, according to data released by customs services. “The deterioration in France’s trade balance is due to the increase in energy deficit because of rising oil prices,” they said in a monthly economic report. The energy deficit widened to 46 billion euros last year from 39.3 billion euros a year earlier, customs data showed.