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42
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1986
AS THE VALUE OF IMPORTS GREW AT A FASTER RATE THAN THAT OF TOTAL EXPORTS, A VISIBLE TRADE GAP OF 4.0 PER CENT WAS RECORDED IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1986, COMPARED WITH A VISIBLE TRADE SURPLUS, EQUIVALENT TO 0.2 PER CENT OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS, IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1985.
COMMENTING ON THESE FIGURES, A GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE DECLINE IN DOMESTIC EXPORTS (YEAR-ON- YEAR) EXPERIENCED DURING MOST OF 1985 WAS ARRESTED TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR AND THE RECOVERY HAS GATHERED MOMENTUM SINCE MARCH 1986.
THE DEPRECIATION OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR AGAINST MOST MAJOR CURRENCIES OTHER THAN THE US DOLLAR WAS AMONGST THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT, AFTER DECLINING IN THE FIRST QUARTER, THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS RECORDED POSITIVE GROWTH AGAIN IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.
THE FOLLOWING TABLE PRESENTS THE PROVISIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE FIGURES FOR JUNE 1986:
MERCHANDISE:
DOMESTIC EXPORTS: $12 546 MILLION RE-EXPORTS
TOTAL EXPORTS IMPORTS
TRADE BALANCE
COMPARATIVE FIGURES
$9 598 MILLION
: $22 144 MILLION
: $22 836 MILLION
$692 MILLION (IN DEFICIT)
APR 86 TO
APR 85 TO
INCREASE
JUN 86
JUN 85
LATEST 3 MONTHS
HK$ MN.
HK$ MN.
HK$ MN.
%
સા
DOMESTIC EXPORTS
36 228
31 432
4 796
15.3
RE-EXPORTS
29 028
27 169
1 859
6.8
TOTAL EXPORTS
65 256
58 601
6 655
11.4
IMPORTS
67 663
58 772
8 891
15.1
TRADE BALANCE
-2 407
-171
-2 236
/SAME MONTH