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Volume and price statistics of external trade in Dec 96
In December 1996, the volume of re-exports increased by 5.1% over a year earlier, while that of domestic exports decreased by 10%. Taken together, the volume of total exports increased by 2.4%. Concurrently, the volume of imports increased by 5.2%.
The Census and Statistics Department today (Friday) released detailed volume and price statistics of external trade for December and the whole year of 1996.
Comparing 1996 with 1995, the volume of Hong Kong's re-exports increased by 7.5%, while the volume of domestic exports decreased by 8.4%. Taking together, the volume of total exports increased by 4,8%. Meanwhile, imports increased by 4.3% in volume.
The growth in volume of trade is derived from the growth in trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
Comparing December 1996 with December 1995, the prices of re-exports decreased by 0.7%, while that of domestic exports increased by 0.3%. Import prices on the other hand decreased by 1.7%.
As regards price changes in 1996 over 1995, the prices of re-exports decreased by 0.5%, while that of domestic exports increased by 0.3%. Import prices on the other hand decreased by 1.3%.
Price changes are reflected by changes in unit value indices which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, based on specific price data.
The terms of trade index, defined as the ratio of total export price index to import price index, recorded an increase of 1.0% in 1996 over 1995.
The changes in the value, unit value and volume of re-exports by end-use category are shown in Table 1.
Analysed by end-use category, increases in re-export volume in December 1996 over a year earlier were recorded for fuels (+45%); capital goods (+24%); and consumer goods (+0.1%).
On the other hand, the volume of re-exports of foodstuffs; and raw materials and semi-manufactures decreased by 1.4% and 1.0% respectively.
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