Results of the External Trade Statistics for March 2006

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that, in March 2006, Macao’s total value of exports amounted to MOP1.74 billion, up 42.5% over the same month of 2005. Among this, the value of domestic exports increased 61.0% to MOP1.25 billion and the value of re-exports rose 10.5% to MOP494 million. Value of imports amounted to MOP2.95 billion, up 29.5% over the same period of 2005. A trade deficit of MOP1.21 billion was recorded this month. During the period of January – March 2006, the value of total exports increased 36.4% year-on-year to MOP4.77 billion. In addition, both the values of domestic exports and re-exports increased 47.7% and 11.3% respectively. Moreover, the value of imports amounted to MOP7.69 billion, up 28.3% over the same period of 2005. In the first three months of 2006, Macao’s trade balance registered a deficit of MOP2.92 billion. During this period, the exports/imports ratio increased from 58.4% in the corresponding period of 2005 to 62.1%. In the first three months of 2006, the value of Textile & garment exports, which accounted for 76.1% of the total exports, increased 42.6% over the same period of 2005. In addition, the value of Non-textile exports also rose 19.9%. As the major components of non-textile exports, Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear both expanded 8.7% and 7.7% respectively, year-on-year. The USA and the EU remained as Macao’s major export markets, together making up 68.2% of the total value of exports. Among this, exports to the USA, which made up 51.1% of the total value of exports, increased 52.3% over the same period of 2005; exports to the EU, which made up 17.1% of the total value of exports, also increased 77.6% over the same period of 2005. During the period of January – March 2006, Macao’s total value of imports increased 28.3% year-on-year, mainly due to the increase in the value of imports by broad economic categories, namely Fuels & lubricants (50.1%), Capital goods (28.8%), Consumer goods (28.1%) and Raw materials & semi-manufactures (22.4%). Meanwhile, Macao’s main suppliers of imported goods still concentrated in the Asian region. Imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong together constituted 53.0% of the total value of imports. Compared with the same period of 2005, the value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong rose 44.8% and 26.1% respectively.