Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the value of total exports of goods amounted to MOP1.61 billion in July 2008, down by 13.7% year-on-year; the value of domestic exports decreased by 23.7% to MOP1.02 billion, but that of re-exports increased by 11.2% to MOP594 million. The value of total imports of goods amounted to MOP4.12 billion, up by 11.4% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.51 billion was recorded for July 2008.

From January to July 2008, total exports of goods fell by 11.2% year-on-year to MOP10.14 billion, with the value of domestic exports and re-exports declining by 13.9% and 6.1% respectively. Meanwhile, total imports of goods grew by 7.6% to MOP25.57 billion, and the trade deficit in the first seven months of 2008 was widened to MOP15.42 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 48.1% in the first seven months of 2007 to 39.7% in the same period of 2008.

The value of Textile & garment exports declined by 17.6% year-on-year and its relative importance decreased further to account for 60.1% of the total exports of goods in the first seven months of 2008; moreover, the value of Non-textile exports grew slightly by 0.7%, with exports of Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear dropping by 50.9% and 60.4% respectively, but exports of Image & sound appliances registered an increase of 67.3%.

In the first seven months of 2008, the value of exports to the USA, Mainland China and the EU decreased by 7.0%, 38.7% and 45.3% respectively year-on-year, but that to Hong Kong rose by 24.9%.

The main suppliers of imported goods to Macao concentrated in the Asian region. The value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong amounted to MOP13.08 billion, accounting for 51.1% of the total imports in the first seven months of 2008. In terms of broad economic categories, the value of imports of Fuels & lubricants and Consumer goods expanded by 26.7% and 25.3% respectively year-on-year, but that of Raw materials & semi-manufactures and Capital goods decreased by 16.0% and 1.6% respectively.