Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the total value of exports of goods amounted to MOP1.76 billion in January 2008, up by 2.9% year-on-year, of which domestic exports went up by 11.9% to MOP1.27 billion, while re-exports decreased by 14.9% to MOP486 million. Total value of imports of goods amounted to MOP3.68 billion, up by 12.9% over January 2007.

The trade deficit totalled MOP1.93 billion in January 2008, and the exports/imports ratio decreased from 52.3% in January 2007 to 47.7%.

As regards the exports of goods, the exports of Textile & garment accounted for 67.5% of the total value of exports, up by 8.4% over January 2007; nevertheless, exports of Non-textile fell by 6.8%, of which Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear dropped by 53.6% and 20.7% respectively.

The USA and the EU were the major destinations of Macao’s exports, together making up 64.6% of the total value of exports in January 2008. Compared with January 2007, the value of exports to the USA grew by 18.6%, while that to the EU fell by 1.6%.

The main suppliers of imported goods to Macao concentrated in the Asian region. Imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, comprising 50.1% of the total value of imports in January 2008, rose by 5.2% and 8.6% respectively year-on-year.

In terms of broad economic categories, imports of Consumer goods and Capital goods rose by 35.1% and 11.8% respectively year-on-year, whereas the imports of Fuels & lubricants and Raw materials & semi-manufactures decreased by 14.6% and 8.1% respectively.