Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise exports amounted to MOP1.22 billion in April 2024, up by 42.0% year-on-year. Value of re-exports rose by 50.5% to MOP1.10 billion, of which re-exports of Diamond & diamond jewellery and Garments grew by 344.6% and 52.0% respectively, while those of Articles for casino and Perfumes tumbled by 61.2% and 47.7%. Value of domestic exports dropped by 6.8% to MOP118 million, of which domestic exports of Copper & articles thereof and Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits & other bakers' wares declined by 28.6% and 26.6% respectively, while those of Pharmaceutical products & organic chemicals rose by 48.3%. Meanwhile, total merchandise imports dipped by 4.3% year-on-year to MOP11.12 billion; imports of Construction materials, Watches and Mobile phones reduced by 33.6%, 23.0% and 17.2% respectively, whereas imports of Articles for casino and Motor cars showed respective growth of 140.9% and 51.3%. Merchandise trade deficit totalled MOP9.90 billion in April.
External merchandise trade totalled MOP48.15 billion from January to April 2024, down by 5.7% compared to the same period last year (MOP51.08 billion). Total value of merchandise exports grew by 12.6% year-on-year to MOP4.51 billion, of which value of re-exports (MOP4.06 billion) and domestic exports (MOP451 million) rose by 13.7% and 3.5% respectively. Total value of merchandise imports dropped by 7.3% year-on-year to MOP43.64 billion. Merchandise trade deficit totalled MOP39.13 billion in the first four months, down by MOP3.94 billion from MOP43.07 billion a year earlier.
Analysed by destination, merchandise exports to Hong Kong (MOP3.11 billion), the Belt and Road Countries (MOP380 million) and the EU (MOP86 million) increased by 0.7%, 151.7% and 137.5% respectively year-on-year in the first four months of 2024. On the other hand, exports to mainland China (MOP245 million), and the USA (MOP66 million) dropped by 6.7% and 33.2% respectively. Exports of Textiles & garments grew by 13.8% year-on-year to MOP463 million, and exports of Non-textiles went up by 12.4% to MOP4.05 billion.
By place of origin, merchandise imports from the EU (MOP13.45 billion), mainland China (MOP12.20 billion) and the Belt and Road Countries (MOP9.84 billion) decreased by 16.6%, 2.6% and 10.6% respectively year-on-year in the first four months, while those from Hong Kong (MOP2.76 billion) grew by 31.6%. Analysed by place of consignment, merchandise imports from Hong Kong (MOP34.81 billion) fell by 10.7% year-on-year, whereas imports from mainland China (MOP6.53 billion) grew by 7.6%. Imports of Consumer goods went down by 10.5% to MOP32.34 billion, of which imports of Food & beverages (MOP6.87 billion), Gold jewellery (MOP4.45 billion) and Beauty, cosmetic & skincare products (MOP3.77 billion) shrank by 14.5%, 2.1% and 17.4% respectively. Imports of Fuels & lubricants (MOP2.27 billion) rose by 11.8%, whereas imports of Mobile phones (MOP1.23 billion) and Construction materials (MOP777 million) slid by 40.4% and 17.7% respectively.