XN000022-1986-11-11 — Page 7

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1986

MANY OF THE MAJOR IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS INCREASED IN VOLUME IN AUGUST 1986 COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985. SIGNIFICANT GROWTH WAS RECORDED IN MILK, BUTTER, CHEESE AND EGGS SUGAR SOYA BEAN OIL, PEANUT OIL AND LARD RICE AS WELL AS VEGETABLES. HOWEVER, NOTABLE DECREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR CEREALS AND CEREAL PREPARATIONS OTHER THAN RICE, WHEAT AND FLOUR AS WELL AS TEA AND COFFEE.

OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF MANY CONSUMER GOODS INCREASED, THE MORE SUBSTANTIAL ONES BEING CLOTHING RADIOS, TELEVISION SETS, GRAMOPHONES, RECORDS, TAPE RECORDERS AND AMPLIFIERS AS WELL AS WATCHES. HOWEVER, NOTABLE DECREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR PASSENGER MOTOR CARS AS WELL AS CAMERAS, FLASHLIGHT APPARATUS AND SUPPLIES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY.

THE IMPORT VOLUME OF MOST RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES INCREASED IN AUGUST 1986 COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985. THE MAJOR INCREASES WERE RECORDED IN PLASTIC MOULDING MATERIALS MAN-MADE FIBRES DYEING, TANNING AND COLOURING MATERIALS CLAY AND REFRACTORY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, BUILDING MATERIALS, ETC., EXCEPT GLASS; THERMIONIC, CATHODE VALVES AND TUBES, DIODES, TRANSISTORS AND ELECTRICAL MICROCIRCUITS AS WELL AS WATCH AND CLOCK MOVEMENTS, CASES AND PARTS. DECREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE NOTED FOR FABRICS OF WOOL AND MIXTURES AS WELL AS WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL HAIR.

IMPORTS OF FUELS INCREASED BY 16 PER CENT IN VOLUME IN AUGUST 1986 AS COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985.

IN THE CAPITAL GOODS CATEGORY, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF MOST COMMODITIES DECREASED IN AUGUST 1986 WHEN COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985, THE SUBSTANTIAL ONES BEING TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY AS WELL AS OTHER INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY. AN INCREASE IN IMPORT VOLUME WAS RECORDED FOR ELECTRICAL MACHINERY.

THE CHANGES IN THE VALUE, UNIT VALUE AND VOLUME OF RE-EXPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY FOR AUGUST 1986 AS COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985 ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 3.

AS DEPICTED IN TABLE 3, THE RE-EXPORT VOLUME OF MOST END-USE CATEGORIES INCREASED IN AUGUST 1986 WHEN COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985, RANGING FROM 9 PER CENT FOR RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES TO 148 PER CENT FOR FUELS. ON THE OTHER

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE VOLUME OF RE-EXPORTS

OF CAPITAL GOODS DECREASED BY 21 PER CENT.

FURTHER DETAILS ARE CONTAINED IN THE AUGUST 1986 ISSUE OF THE +HONG KONG TRADE INDEX NUMBERS+ AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE TOMORROW AT $2.50 PER COPY.

ENQUIRIES REGARDING REGULAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THIS REPORT MAY

BE DIRECTED TO THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT BASKERVILLE HOUSE, HONG KONG, ON 5-214375 AND ENQUIRIES ON TRADE INDEXES TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON 5-444584.

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