Results of the External Trade Statistics / May 2005

In May 2005, Macao’s total export value amounted to MOP1.29 billion, down 29.6% over the same month of 2004. Among this, the value of domestic exports decreased 42.5% to MOP786 million, and the value of re-exports went up 8.6% to MOP501 million. Value of imports amounted to MOP2.45 billion, up 9.3% over the same period of 2004. A trade deficit of MOP1.16 billion was recorded this month. During the period of January – May 2005, the value of total exports recorded a year-on-year decrease of 23.5% to MOP5.92 billion. Among this, the value of domestic exports decreased 33.1% whereas the value of re-exports rose 3.6%. Meanwhile, the value of imports amounted to MOP10.81 billion, up 3.7% over the same period of 2004. In the first five months of 2005, Macao’s trade balance registered a deficit of MOP4.89 billion. During this period, the exports/imports ratio decreased from 74.3% in the corresponding period of 2004 to 54.8%. In the first five months of 2005, the value of Textile & garment exports, which accounted for 71.7% of the total exports, decreased 29.6% over the same period of 2004. Moreover, the value of Non-textile exports also dropped 1.9%. As the major components of non-textile exports, Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof expanded 8.8%, whereas Footwear fell 89.7% year on year. The USA and the EU remained as Macao’s major export markets, together making up 55.5% of the total export value. Among this, exports to the USA, which made up 44.3% of the total export value, decreased 24.0% in value over the same period of 2004; exports to the EU, which made up 11.2% of the total exports, also decreased 62.5% in value over the same period of 2004. During the period of January – May 2005, Macao’s total import value increased 3.7% year on year. In terms of broad economic categories, Fuels & lubricants, Capital goods and Consumer goods rose 42.0%, 21.7% and 6.1% respectively, whereas Raw materials & semi-manufactures registered a year-on-year decrease of 12.2%. Meanwhile, Macao’s main suppliers of imported goods still concentrated in the Asian region. Imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong together constituted 50.1% of the total import value. Compared with the same period of 2004, the value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong fell 3.4% and 1.6% respectively.