Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for March 2014 amounted to MOP832 million, up by 10% year-on-year; value of re-exports (MOP660 million) rose by 13% while that of domestic exports (MOP172 million) held stable as in March 2013. Total merchandise import was MOP7.22 billion, up by 20% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP6.39 billion for March 2014. In the first quarter of 2014, total value of merchandise export increased by 6% year-on-year to MOP2.48 billion, of which value of re-exports (MOP2.02 billion) and domestic exports (MOP465 million) increased by 7% and 1% respectively. Total value of merchandise import grew by 18% to MOP21.92 billion. Merchandise trade deficit widened to MOP19.44 billion for the first quarter of 2014. Analysed by destination, merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP1.53 billion) and the EU (MOP86 million) in the first quarter of 2014 increased by 12% and 29% respectively year-on-year, while export to Mainland China (MOP311 million) and the USA (MOP86 million) decreased by 5% and 19% respectively. Exports of Non-textiles (MOP2.29 billion) rose by 8% year-on-year, of which exports of Machines, apparatus & parts (MOP415 million) and Clocks & watches (MOP279 million) increased by 36% and 38% respectively. Exports of Textiles & garments (MOP195 million) decreased by 8%, of which exports of Knitted or crocheted garments (MOP69 million) declined by 12%. By country of origin, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP6.92 billion) and the EU (MOP5.60 billion) increased by 11% and 22% respectively year-on-year in the first quarter of 2014. Imports of Consumer goods rose by 23% to MOP14.23 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP2.86 billion), Watches (MOP2.17 billion) and Beauty, cosmetic & skin-care products (MOP723 million) increasing by 61%, 95% and 47% respectively. External merchandise trade reached MOP24.40 billion in the first quarter of 2014, up by 17% compared with MOP20.91 billion a year earlier.
