MANILA — The Philippines posted a trade deficit PHTBAL=ECI of $5.09 billion for September, the largest gap in 20 months, preliminary official data showed on Wednesday.
Imports PHIMP=ECI in September rose by an annual 9.9%, the largest increase since April, to $11.34 billion.
Exports PHEXP=ECI fell 7.6%, the biggest drop since June, to $6.26 billion, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
—Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by John Mair