Italy's exports expanded by 0.6% in December 2017, while imports booked a rise of 3.3% after seasonal adjustments, data from the National Institute for Statistics showed.

The country's trade balance reached €5.25 billion in December 2017.

Italian exports and imports to EU countries rose by 2.5% and 4.5%, respectively, on a monthly basis. For countries outside the EU, Italy's exports fell by 1.8% in December 2017 while imports rose by 1.6% month over month.

When compared to data from a year ago, Italy's December exports and imports rose by 2.0% and 3.7%, respectively, in 2017.