Czech trade surplus rises to 14.3 billion crowns in February

The Czech trade surplus rose to 14.3 billion CZK (898 million USD) in February, up from 12.9 billion CZK in the same month last year, the national statistics office said on Monday. The rise was mainly owing to stronger sales of machinery and transport equipment, coupled with a narrowing of the deficit in food and a turnaround from deficit to surplus in sales of drinks and tobacco, the office said. The trade balance was in surplus to the tune of 26.5 billion crowns in the first two months of the year, a 3.8-billion crown improvement on the same period last year.