2024 Export Balance: Styria Remains at the Forefront

In 2024, Styrian companies generated the highest trade balance surplus ever recorded for our federal state, meaning that the external sector made a substantial contribution to value creation in Styria even in this difficult year. Naturally, two less positive factors lie behind this respectable result, namely the decline in imports, which points to relatively weak domestic economic activity, and a decline in total exports, which, however, was surprisingly modest at -2.1%. It is notable that difficulties in some sectors could be relatively well offset by strongly rising exports in others. It is also notable that, alongside traditional overseas markets such as the USA and China, other third markets such as India, Indonesia, and Mexico are gaining in importance. Last year’s export growth of 23% to the USA is likely also attributable to special factors, namely the uncertainties surrounding US tariff policy.

Despite a noticeable decline in Austrian foreign trade in 2024, Styria is proving economically resilient. With an export volume of 28.28 billion euros, the decline stands at a moderate -2.1% – significantly better than the national average of -4.9%. The trade balance also remains clearly positive: +7.3 billion euros – a strong signal of international competitiveness.

Styria has recorded a positive trade balance (exports minus imports) for the years 2010 to 2024. This rose to 7.3 billion euros in 2024 (2023: 7.1). As in previous years, Styria thus ranks second behind Upper Austria, which recorded +11.8 billion euros.