BUCHAREST: Romania's trade deficit shrank 40.6 percent on the year to 5.2 billion euros($7.07 billion) in the first eleven months, the National Statistics Board said on Thursday. It said CIF (cost/insurance/freight) imports edged up 0.4 percent on the year to 50.9 billion euros, while exports grew 9 percent to 45.7 billion euros.

The November trade shortfall was 389 million euros.

The European Union state has a two-year precationary aid deal with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission worth 4 billion euros, which it does not plan to tap. It is the country's third IMF-led aid deal since 2009.