XN000022-1991-09-26 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1991

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN COMMENTED THAT THE SUSTAINED ROBUST PERFORMANCE OF RE-EXPORTS WAS SUPPORTED BY THE STRONG GROWTH EXPORTS INVOLVING CHINA IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

IN RE-

THE MILD DECLINE IN THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN AUGUST WAS

OF MODERATE INDICATE A REVERSAL OF THE TREND TO

RECOVERY UNLIKELY EXPERIENCED IN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES SO FAR THIS YEAR, THOUGH RECOVERY APPEARS TO BE SOMEWHAT LESS STEADY THAN EXPECTED.

THE

FURTHER RECOVERY IN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES AND DOMESTIC GROWTH IN DEMAND IS TO SOME EXTENT EVIDENCED BY THE CONTINUED RAPID RETAINED IMPORTS, BY 17.3% IN VALUE TERMS IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF 1991 OVER THE SAME PERIOD IN 1990.

FOLLOWING

IS A TABLE PRESENTING THE PROVISIONAL TRADE

FIGURES

FOR AUGUST 1991:

MERCHANDISE:

DOMESTIC EXPORTS :

$20,364 MILLION

RE-EXPORTS

$47,205 MILLION

TOTAL EXPORTS

IMPORTS

TRADE BALANCE

$67,569 MILLION $66,755 MILLION $814 MILLION

[IN SURPLUS]

COMPARATIVE FIGURES

JUN 91 TO

JUN 90 TO

INCREASE

LATEST 3 MONTHS

AUG 91

HK$ MN.

AUG 90 HK$ MN.

HK$ MN.

*

DOMESTIC EXPORTS

60,354

60,383

-29

-0.0

RE-EXPORTS

TOTAL EXPORTS

IMPORTS

TRADE BALANCE

138,027

108,693

29,334

27.0

198,381

169,076

29,305

17.3

199,429

162,204

37,225

22.9

-1,048

6,872

-7,920

SAME MONTH LAST YEAR

AUGUST 1991

HK$ MN.

AUGUST 1990 HK$ MN.

INCREASE

HK$ MN.

x

DOMESTIC EXPORTS

20,364

21,128

-764

-3.6

(% OF TOTAL EXPORTS)

(30.1%)

(36.5%)

RE-EXPORTS

47,205

38,304

8,901

23.2

TOTAL EXPORTS

67,569

59.432

8,137

13.7

IMPORTS

66.755

55,704

11,051

19.8

TRADE BALANCE

814

3,728

-2,914

LAST MONTH

AUGUST 1991 HK$ MN.

JULY 1991

INCREASE

HKS MN.

HK$ MN.

/DOMESTIC EXPORTS