Swiss foreign trade grew in the first quarter of 2010, with both exports and imports up - for the first time since autumn 2008.

The balance of trade showed a SFr 5.7 billion ($5.34 billion) surplus.

Exports made significant gains, despite the strong franc, with the watch and metallurgical industries each exporting about a third more, and the chemical industry up by a quarter.

Demand for Swiss exports rose in all continents, with the greatest increase to countries of Oceania and Asia.

While imports also increased, the rise there was less marked. Imports of raw materials and semi-finished products – particularly electric and electronic goods, metals and chemicals - grew the most, up ten per cent.

On the other hand, imports of consumer goods fell by four per cent.

Imports from Asia were down by more than a quarter, but up by 78 per cent from Africa. Oil imports from Libya and Azerbaijan increased threefold.

swissinfo.ch and agencies

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative