Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of total merchandise export for August 2010 decreased by 1.2% year-on-year to MOP540 million, with value of domestic exports falling by 15.8% to MOP188 million, but that of re-exports rising by 8.8% to MOP352 million. The value of total merchandise import amounted to MOP3.78 billion, up by 21.0% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP3.24 billion was recorded for August 2010. In the first eight months of 2010, total value of merchandise export fell by 5.9% year-on-year to MOP4.78 billion, of which the value of domestic exports declined by 27.8%, but that of re-exports expanded by 10.3%; meanwhile, total value of merchandise import grew by 20.4% to MOP28.02 billion. The trade deficit from January to August 2010 widened by 27.7% year-on-year to MOP23.24 billion; the exports/imports ratio went down by 4.8 percentage points year-on-year to 17.0%. Analyzed by destination of exported goods, value of merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP2.07 billion) and Mainland China (MOP761 million) in the first eight months of 2010 increased by 13.0% and 1.7% respectively year-on-year, while that to the USA (MOP563 million) and the EU (MOP275 million) decreased substantially by 44.1% and 41.7% respectively. Exports of Textile & garment amounted to MOP1.10 billion, down by 41.6% year-on-year to account for 23.0% of the total merchandise export; however, value of Non-textile exports (MOP3.68 billion) grew by 15.1%, with that of Copper & articles thereof and Clocks & watches rising notably by 74.6% and 58.8% respectively. Regarding the country of origin of imported goods, in the first eight months of 2010, value of merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP8.70 billion) and the EU (MOP6.13 billion) expanded by 18.4% and 25.9% respectively year-on-year. The value of imports of Consumer goods rose by 39.2% year-on-year, with that of Motor cars & motorcycles growing significantly by 109.8%; nevertheless, the value of imports of Capital goods and Raw materials & semi-manufactures fell by 7.8% and 0.5% respectively. From January to August 2010, total value of merchandise import and export amounted to MOP32.79 billion, up by 15.7% compared with MOP28.35 billion in the first eight months of 2009.
