- 11 -
However, a decrease was recorded in the value of re-exports by ocean for telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (by $4.6 billion or 5.4%).
The value of domestic exports by ocean for all the top-five principal commodity divisions fell in 1996, with a more notable decrease for clothing (by $5.0 billion or 10%).
Over the same period, an increase was recorded in the value of imports by ocean for electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (by $4.2 billion or 9.6%). On the other hand, more significant decreases were recorded in the value of imports by ocean for telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (by $7.9 billion or 14%); plastics in primary forms (by $6.2 billion or 14%); and road vehicles (by $5.9 billion or 14%).
Changes in the value of external trade by air between 1996 and 1995 analysed by principal commodity division are shown in Table 5.
Comparing 1996 with 1995, significant increases were recorded in the value of re-exports by air for office machines and automatic data processing machines (by $6.7 billion or 28%); clothing (by $3.0 billion or 15%); and photographic apparatus, equipment and supplies, optical goods, watches and clocks (by $2.8 billion or 12%). But a decrease was recorded in the value of re-exports by air for electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (by $1.4 billion or 3.3%).
An increase was also recorded in the value of domestic exports by air for miscellaneous manufactured articles consisting mainly of jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares (by $59 million or 0.8%). However, more significant decreases were recorded in the value of domestic exports by air for office machines and automatic data processing machines (by $3.9 billion or 38%); and photographic apparatus, equipment and supplies, optical goods, watches and clocks (by $1.3 billion or 12%).
Over the same period, increases were recorded in the value of imports by air for telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (by $4.9 billion or 15%); and office machines and automatic data processing machines (by $3.6 billion or 11%). On the other hand, more significant decreases were recorded in the value of imports by air for non-metallic mineral manufactures (by $1.8 billion or 6.3%); and photographic apparatus, equipment and supplies, optical goods, watches and clocks (by $1.7 billion or 6.1%).