Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the value of total exports of goods amounted to MOP1.66 billion in May 2008, down by 7.1% year-on-year; the value of domestic exports decreased by 10.0% to MOP975 million, and that of re-exports dropped by 2.5% to MOP687 million. The value of total imports of goods amounted to MOP3.59 billion, down by 2.7% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP1.92 billion was recorded for May 2008.

From January to May 2008, the total exports of goods fell by 8.6% year-on-year to MOP7.02 billion, of which the value of domestic exports and re-exports declined by 8.8% and 8.3% respectively. Meanwhile, total imports of goods grew by 7.9% to MOP17.76 billion, bringing about a trade deficit of MOP10.74 billion in the first five months of 2008. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 46.7% in the first five months of 2007 to 39.5% in the same period of 2008.

The value of Textile & garment exports, accounting for 59.1% of the total exports of goods in the first five months of 2008, declined by 13.2% over the same period of 2007; moreover, the value of Non-textile exports fell slightly by 1.0%, of which exports of Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear dropped by 48.4% and 51.0% respectively, while exports of Image & sound appliances rose by 70.9%.

In the first five months of 2008, the value of exports to the USA, Mainland China and the EU decreased by 4.0%, 39.9% and 37.8% respectively year-on-year, while that to Hong Kong rose by 26.1%.

The main suppliers of imported goods to Macao concentrated in the Asian region. The value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, comprising 51.3% of the total imports in the first five months of 2008, rose by 3.4% and 14.7% respectively year-on-year.

In terms of broad economic categories, the value of imports of Fuels & lubricants and Consumer goods in the first five months of 2008 expanded by 27.0% and 25.8% respectively year-on-year, but that of Raw materials & semi-manufactures and Capital goods decreased by 13.0% and 3.5% respectively.