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Estimation of the external trade in services quarterly data with monthly data, January 2026

Released: 17 April 2026

In the January 2026 period, compared to the base period, there was a 9.7% (44.2 billion HUF) increase in import, while a 1.8% (10.6 billion HUF) decrease in export, in terms of the estimated monthly foreign trade turnover in services.

On the import side, the increase was primarily present at companies with over 250 employees, amounting to 11% (HUF 30.1 billion). In terms of sectoral breakdown, the manufacturing industry (C), transport (H) and electricity (E) groups contributed to the change in import. On the export side, the decrease was due to an 8% (8.8 billion HUF) decrease in turnover for companies with 50–249 employees and a 16% (5.6 billion HUF) decrease in turnover for companies with 0–9 employees, which was mitigated by a minimal 2.5% (8.8 billion HUF) increase in turnover for companies with over 250 employees. In terms of divisions, the decline was primarily driven by the transport (H) and electricity (D) groups.

Experiences so far

The external trade in services statistics performs a major revision between October and December of each year, having an impact on the previously published quarterly and annual data. VAT returns data are an important verification basis during the revision. Tables 1 and 2 illustrate what this means in regard to the data estimated on the basis of VAT returns data and produced based on the OSAP 1470 questionnaire.

Table 1
Value of external trade in services by headcount categories: Import
(thousand HUF)
Headcount category 2026 2025 Difference from base % difference
0–9 persons 27 619 815    27 447 246    172 569 0.6%
10–49 persons 54 770 151    41 316 914    13 453 237 32.6%
50–249 persons 92 357 619    96 242 272    –3 884 653 –4.0%
250 of more persons 309 689 923    279 504 805    30 185 118 10.8%
Unknown 17 660 252    13 325 186    4 335 066 32.5%
Total turnover 502 097 760    457 836 423    44 261 337 9.7%
Table 2
Value of external trade in services by headcount categories: Export
(thousand HUF)
Headcount category 2026 2025 Difference from base % difference
0–9 persons 30 211 548 35 840 376 –5 628 828 –15.7%
10–49 persons 46 434 850 47 911 417 –1 476 567 –3.1%
50–249 persons 96 011 542 104 808 534 –8 796 992 –8.4%
250 of more persons 368 436 127 359 625 227 8 810 900 2.5%
Unknown 41 256 457 44 755 766 –3 499 309 –7.8%
Total turnover 582 350 524 592 941 320 –10 590 796 –1.8%
Table 3
Value of external trade in services by divisional breakdown: Import
(thousand HUF)
Code of division 2026 2025 Difference from base % difference
A 365 522    407 116    41 594    –10%
B 736 694    1 030 862    –294 168    –29%
C 178 922 782    166 786 734    12 136 048    7%
D 18 456 791    5 975 967    12 480 824    209%
E 511 719    365 313    146 406    40%
F 4 909 192    6 288 881    –1 379 689    –22%
G 57 897 313    60 033 915    –2 136 602    –4%
H 130 684 512    113 226 767    17 457 745    15%
I 4 610 701    1 373 891    3 236 810    236%
J 12 139 781    18 619 974    –6 480 193    –35%
K 37 378 350    38 384 742    –1 006 392    –3%
L 5 639 047    3 076 184    2 562 863    83%
M 240 708    692 493    –451 785    –65%
N 32 990 743    24 789 088    8 201 655    33%
O 6 589 776    8 087 462    –1 497 686    –19%
P 1 112 005    1 332 672    –220 667    –17%
Q 1 350 355    1 215 395    134 960    11%
R 1 060 795    847 643    213 152    25%
S 4 979 719    3 706 530    1 273 189    34%
T 1 521 255    1 594 794    –73 539    –5%
Total turnover 502 097 760    457 836 423    44 261 337    10%
Table 4
Value of external trade in services by divisional breakdown: Export
(thousand HUF)
Code of division 2026 2025 Difference from base % difference
A 307 764    280 024    27 740    9.9%
B 42 215    639 931    –597 716    –93.4%
C 167 337 329    163 063 402    4 273 927    2.6%
D 15 856 041    22 510 899    –6 654 858    –29.6%
E 954 194    749 588    204 606    27.3%
F 1 718 168    3 346 650    –1 628 482    –48.7%
G 31 687 509    26 668 971    5 018 538    18.8%
H 223 736 844    237 983 763    –14 246 919    –6.0%
I 239 678    176 021    63 657    36.2%
J 17 904 746    18 213 254    –308 508    –1.7%
K 47 978 001    49 262 627    –1 284 626    –2.6%
L 1 999 849    5 729 774    –3 729 925    –65.1%
M 77 182    2 260 567    –2 183 385    –96.6%
N 53 968 221    49 167 089    4 801 132    9.8%
O 8 657 378    8 594 521    62 857    0.7%
P 7 215    31 419    –24 204    –77.0%
Q 513 731    531 934    –18 203    –3.4%
R 608 265    747 665    –139 400    –18.6%
S 7 242 915    1 296 677    5 946 238    458.6%
T 1 513 279    1 686 544    –173 265    –10.3%
Total turnover 582 350 524    592 941 320    –10 590 796    –1.8%
Table 5
Difference between quarterly aggregated indicator data estimated based on VAT returns and balance of payments services foreign trade data
(%)
Year Quarter Difference
service import service export
2022 Q1 5.01% 2.35%
2022 Q2 6.53% –1.52%
2022 Q3 4.58% –3.79%
2022 Q4 –0.91% –5.89%
2023 Q1 –1.94% –0.30%
2023 Q2 3.26% 0.74%
2023 Q3 –1.79% 1.73%
2023 Q4 –1.21% 2.31%
2024 Q1 –1.34% 8.24%
2024 Q2 2.83% 9.56%
2024 Q3 –0.49% 11.59%
2024 Q4 3.01% 2.14%
2025 Q1 5.03% 8.28%
2025 Q2 4.56% 6.45%
2025 Q3 2.71% 5.78%
2025 Q4 –2.47% 3.77%
Table 6
Difference between annual aggregated indicator data estimated based on VAT returns and balance of payments services trade data
(%)
Year Difference
service import service export
2022 3.80% –2.21%
2023 –0.42% 1.12%
2024 1.07% 7.79%
2025 2.32% 6.01%

The HCSO generally set a target of ±5% deviation within the framework of this experimental statistics.

Table 7
Value of service import,* thousand HUF
Month 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
January 390 464 619 526 993 297 517 019 055 502 942 903 552 968 275
February 379 101 478 543 979 850 559 787 970 530 844 075
March 742 502 283 896 157 751 922 444 734 919 031 256
April 443 542 985 497 034 594 535 788 240 503 867 655
May 466 050 795 493 528 870 556 660 585 558 083 082
June 778 612 152 858 923 862 911 383 968 871 061 772
July 516 577 559 542 034 371 621 685 314 602 478 942
August 482 131 741 506 706 788 578 531 571 569 721 341
September 838 190 588 858 369 224 954 187 332 852 659 951
October 539 829 588 490 902 870 587 417 035 571 219 600
November 594 785 838 590 686 008 629 535 524 623 190 788
December 1 117 390 416 985 049 234 1 043 777 319 1 137 311 452
* Estimated monthly data.
Table 8
Value of service export,* thousand HUF
Month 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
January 354 510 852 545 985 505 487 783 827 547 941 320 538 683 858
February 372 640 913 510 473 666 502 021 652 505 119 860
March 1 129 354 246 1 403 163 957 1 422 002 694 1 439 562 085
April 523 999 367 541 159 757 569 057 891 601 529 880
May 523 798 673 554 015 854 535 351 632 632 107 626
June 1 215 005 755 1 344 603 616 1 344 302 403 1 423 114 851
July 572 942 585 582 106 585 593 146 464 654 623 376
August 609 031 664 579 000 888 539 454 677 571 705 982
September 1 318 457 973 1 300 824 833 1 453 891 571 1 486 175 094
October 589 342 290 521 512 334 661 729 343 618 604 138
November 604 014 854 580 563 549 645 238 663 591 238 228
December 1 592 044 804 1 447 919 424 1 663 826 044 1 696 055 210
* Estimated monthly data.
Figure 1
Figure 2

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