(Updates with third-quarter data.)

Nov. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Spain has posted its first trade surplus since 1998, Finance Minister Elena Salgado said.

Spain showed a surplus of 2.63 billion euros in the third quarter, according to data from the National Statistics Institute. The latest available data from the Industry Ministry show Spain had a trade deficit of 4.92 billion euros in August, and the ministry will publish data for September on Nov. 22.

--Editor: James Hertling

To contact the reporter on this story: Emma Ross-Thomas in Madrid at erossthomas@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Craig Stirling at cstirling1@bloomberg.net