Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for April 2012 amounted to MOP643 million, up by 12.6% year-on-year, of which value of re-exports (MOP448 million) and domestic exports (MOP194 million) increased by 15.2% and 7.1% respectively. Total merchandise import amounted to MOP5.78 billion, up by 20.5% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP5.14 billion in April 2012. In the first four months of 2012, total value of merchandise export increased by 19.6% year-on-year to MOP2.62 billion, of which value of re-exports and domestic exports rose by 28.4% and 2.8% respectively; meanwhile, total value of merchandise import increased by 29.0% to MOP23.11 billion. Merchandise trade deficit for the first four months of 2012 amounted to MOP20.49 billion. Merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP1.28 billion) and Mainland China (MOP444 million) in the first four months of 2012 increased by 34.6% and 25.5% respectively year-on-year. Exports of Non-textile (MOP2.25 billion) expanded by 29.5%, of which exports of Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof (MOP415 million) and Articles for casino (MOP80 million) surged by 141.3% and 108.9% respectively; however, exports of Textile & garment declined by 18.0% to MOP372 million. In the first four months of 2012, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP7.34 billion) and the EU (MOP5.34 billion) expanded by 36.6% and 18.8% respectively year-on-year. Imports of Consumer goods rose by 29.2% to MOP14.14 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP2.28 billion), Watches (MOP1.63 billion) and Handbags & wallets (MOP1.33 billion) increasing by 46.0%, 54.3% and 43.1% respectively. Moreover, imports of Capital goods (MOP4.41 billion) registered year-on-year increase of 37.3%. In the first four months of 2012, total value of external merchandise trade amounted to MOP25.73 billion, up by 27.9% compared with MOP20.11 billion a year earlier.
