XN000022-1984-02-05 — Page 5

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1964

THE CHANGES IN THE VALUE, UNIT VALUE AND VOLUME OF IMPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 2.

AS PRESENTED IN TABLE 2, IMPORT PRICES OF ALL END-USE CATEGORIES ROSE, WITH INCREASES RANGING FROM 10 PER CENT FOR FUELS TO 19 PER CENT FOR BOTH CONSUMER GOODS AND RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES.

MANY OF THE MAJOR IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS INCREASED IN VOLUME TERMS, THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES BEING SUGAR, MEAT AND MEAT PREPARATIONS, FRUIT, SWINE, AS WELL AS FISH AND FISH PREPARATIONS. HOWEVER, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF ANIMALS OF THE BOVINE SPECIES DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

IN THE CONSUMER GOODS CATEGORY, SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR MISCELLANEOUS MADE-UP ARTICLES OF TEXTILE MATERIALS, PASSENGER MOTOR CARS, HOUSEHOLD-TYPE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, WATCHES AND CLOTHING. HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN IMPORT VOLUME WAS RECORDED FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

THE IMPORT VOLUME OF MOST RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES ROSE. SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES WERE RECORDED FOR SILK FABRICS, MAN- MADE FIBRES, YARN OF WOOL AND MIXTURES, CRUDE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE MATERIALS, THERMIONIC CATHODE VALVES AND TUBES, DIODES, TRANSISTORS AND ELECTRICAL MICROCIRCUITS, YARN OF MAN-MADE FIBRES, LEATHER AND DRESSED FUR SKINS, AND PLASTIC MOULDING MATERIALS.

HOWEVER, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF RAW COTTON, WATCH AND CLOCK MOVEMENTS, CASES AND PARTS AND CLAY AND REFRACTORY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND BUILDING MATERIALS EXCEPT GLASS, DROPPED MODERATELY.

IMPORTS OF FUELS DROPPED BY 17 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS,

IN THE CAPITAL GOODS CATEGORY, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF NEARLY ALL COMMODITIES INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY, THE MORE REMARKABLE ONES BEING TEXTILE MACHINERY, OFFICE MACHINES, SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL, OPTICAL, MEASURING AND CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS, AND ELECTRICAL MACHINERY.

HOWEVER, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT DECREASED

SLIGHTLY.

THE CHANGES IN THE VALUE, UNIT VALUE AND VOLUME OF RE-EXPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 3.

AS DEPICTED IN TABLE 3, THE RE-EXPORT VOLUME OF ALL END-USE CATEGORIES ROSE, WITH THE INCREASES RANGING FROM 11 PER CENT FOR FOODSTUFFS TO 36 PER CENT FOR CAPITAL GOODS.

FURTHER DETAILS ARE CONTAINED IN THE NOVEMBER 1983 ISSUE OF THE +HONG KONG TRADE INDEX NUMBERS+. COPIES OF THE ISSUE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT HK$2 EACH.

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