XN000022-1994-01-28 — Page 10

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1994

PROVISIONAL FIGURES ON EXTERNAL TRADE FOR DECEMBER

* * * * *

RE-EXPORTS CONTINUED TO SHOW A NOTABLE INCREASE IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR OVER THE SAME MONTH IN 1992, ACCORDING TO PROVISIONAL FIGURES ON EXTERNAL TRADE RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

DOMESTIC EXPORTS HOWEVER REMAINED SLUGGISH.

MODERATELY.

IMPORTS ROSE

THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS, AT $73,774 MILLION IN DECEMBER WAS $9,490 MILLION OR 15% HIGHER THAN A YEAR EARLIER.

1993,

AFFECTED PARTLY BY THE CONTINUED STRUCTURAL SHIFT TO RE-EXPORTS AND PARTLY BY THE WEAKER DEMAND IN OVERSEAS MARKETS, THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS DECREASED BY $1,076 MILLION OR 5.0% OVER A YEAR EARLIER то $20,582 MILLION IN DECEMBER.

TAKING RE-EXPORTS AND DOMESTIC EXPORTS TOGETHER, THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS IN DECEMBER GREW BY $8,414 MILLION OR 9.8% OVER A YEAR EARLIER то $94,356 MILLION.

OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THE VALUE OF IMPORTS INCREASED BY $5,826 MILLION OR 6.5% TO $96,058 MILLION.

AS

THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS WAS SMALLER THAN THAT OF TOTAL IMPORTS, A VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT OF $1,702 MILLION, EQUIVALENT TO 1.8% OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS, WAS RECORDED IN DECEMBER 1993.

THIS COMPARED WITH A DEFICIT OF $4,290 MILLION, EQUIVALENT 4.8% OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS, RECORDED IN DECEMBER 1992.

TO

FOR 1993 AS A WHOLE, THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS AMOUNTED TO $823,224 MILLION, WHICH WAS $132,394 MILLION OR 19% HIGHER THAN A YEAR EARLIER.

THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS, AT $223,027 MILLION, WAS $11,097 MILLION OR 4.7% LOWER THAN THAT IN 1992.

TAKING RE-EXPORTS AND DOMESTIC EXPORTS TOGETHER, THE VALUE TOTAL EXPORTS IN 1993, AT $1,046,250 MILLION, WAS $121,298 MILLION 13% HIGHER THAN THAT IN 1992.

THE VALUE OF IMPORTS INCREASED BY $117,302 MILLION OR $1,072,597 MILLION.

OF

OR

12% ΤΟ

A TRADE DEFICIT OF $26,347 MILLION, EQUIVALENT TO 2.5% OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS, WAS RECORDED IN 1993. THIS WAS SMALLER THAN A TRADE DEFICIT OF $30,342 MILLION, EQUIVALENT TO 3.2% OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS, RECORDED IN 1992.

REFLECTING A CONTINUING RAPID CHANGE IN THE COMPOSITION OF HONG KONG'S EXPORT TRADE, THE SHARE OF RE-EXPORTS IN THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS ROSE TO 79% IN 1993, FROM 75% IN 1992.

COMMENTING ON THE FIGURES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE RE- EXPORT TRADE, HAVING SHOWN SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN 1991 AND 1992, EXPERIENCED A RELATIVELY SLOWER BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN 1993.

/DOMESTIC EXPORTS

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