XN000022-1977-12-11 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1977

HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL TRADE FOR FIRST TEN MONTHS THIS

YEAR *****

HONG KONG EXPORTED $28,372 MILLION WORTH OF GOODS DURING THE FIRST TEN MONTHS OF THIS YEAR= IMPORTS WERE $39,460 MILLION AND RE-EXPORTS $7,986 MILLION.

ACCORDING TO TRADE FIGURES RELEASED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY. DOMESTIC EXPORTS GREW BY 6.1 PER CENT OVER THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR. IMPORTS INCREASED BY 11.1 PER CENT AND RE-EXPORTS UP BY 9.4 PER CENT COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS HONG KONG'S DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO ITS TEN MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS:

JAN.-OCT.

1976

(HK$ MN)

JAN.-OCT.

1977 (HK$ MN)

INCREASE/ DECREASE (HK$ MN)

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

U.S.A.

9,295

11,165

+ 1,870

+ 20.1%

F.R. OF GERMANY

3,226

2,849

377

-

11.7%

UNITED KINGDOM

2,663

2,344

319

-

12.0%

JAPAN

1,186

1,138

1

49

4.1%

AUSTRALIA

1,146

1,038

98

8.5%

CANADA

1,168

965

203

-

17.4%

SINGAPORE

642

730

+

89

+ 13.8%

NETHERLANDS

592

591

1

0.1%

SWEDEN

576

502

75

13.0%

SWITZERLAND

533

461

72

13.5%

DECLINES WERE RECORDED IN DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO SEVERAL MAJOR MARKETS. HOWEVER, THIS DROP WAS MORE THAN OFFSET BY THE GROWTH IN EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES, MAINLY OF A 15 PER CENT INCREASE IN CLOTHING, 37.1 PER CENT IN PLASTIC TOYS AND DOLLS AND 28.1 PER CENT IN ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES.

/AN ANALYSIS OF