Results of the External Trade Statistics for September 2007

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that Macao’s total value of exports amounted to MOP1.81 billion in September 2007, up by 6.1% over the same month of 2006. Among this, the value of domestic exports went up by 2.3% to MOP1.16 billion, and the value of re-exports increased by 13.4% to MOP657 million. Total value of imports amounted to MOP3.65 billion, up by 14.4% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP1.84 billion was recorded for September 2007. During the period of January-September 2007, the value of total exports dropped by 5.1% year-on-year to MOP15.04 billion, of which the value of domestic exports fell by 14.8% whereas the value of re-exports rose by 20.1%. Meanwhile, the value of imports grew by 17.3% to MOP31.60 billion, bringing about a trade deficit of MOP16.56 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 58.8% in the first nine months of 2006 to 47.6% in the same period of 2007. In the first nine months of 2007, the value of Textile & garment exports, which accounted for 64.8% of the total exports, decreased by 16.4% over the same period of 2006; nevertheless, the value of Non-textile exports rose by 26.7%, of which Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear surged by 84.4% and 14.8% respectively. The USA and the EU remained the major destinations of Macao’s exports, together making up 57.7% of the total value of exports. In the first nine months of 2007, the value of exports to the USA and the EU decreased by 17.0% and 15.0% respectively year-on-year. In the first nine months of 2007, Macao’s total value of imports grew by 17.3% year-on-year. In terms of broad economic categories, the value of imports of Capital goods, Consumer goods and Fuels & lubricants rose by 40.7%, 20.6% and 19.9% respectively, whereas the value of imports of Raw materials & semi-manufactures registered a slight decrease of 0.3% year-on-year. Moreover, Macao’s main suppliers of imported goods still concentrated in the Asian region. The value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, comprising 52.7% of the total, rose by 10.3% and 16.7% respectively year-on-year.