Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the value of total exports of goods amounted to MOP1.31 billion in August 2008, down by 26.0% year-on-year; the value of domestic exports decreased by 37.7% to MOP745 million, and that of re-exports dropped by 1.7% to MOP569 million. The value of total imports of goods amounted to MOP3.58 billion, down by 13.5% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.26 billion was recorded for August 2008.

From January to August 2008, total exports of goods fell by 13.2% year-on-year to MOP11.45 billion, with the value of domestic exports and re-exports declining by 17.3% and 5.5% respectively. Meanwhile, total imports of goods grew by 4.5% to MOP29.16 billion, and the trade deficit in the first eight months of 2008 was widened to MOP17.71 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 47.3% in the first eight months of 2007 to 39.3% in the same period of 2008.

The value of Textile & garment exports declined by 20.7% year-on-year and its relative importance decreased further to account for 59.4% of the total exports of goods in the first eight 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 51.2% and 62.4% respectively, but exports of Image & sound appliances registered an increase of 58.4%.

In the first eight months of 2008, the value of exports to the USA, Mainland China and the EU decreased by 9.7%, 39.8% and 48.7% 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 MOP14.83 billion, accounting for 50.9% of the total imports in the first eight months of 2008. In terms of broad economic categories, the value of imports of Fuels & lubricants and Consumer goods expanded by 22.6% and 20.7% respectively year-on-year, but that of Raw materials & semi-manufactures and Capital goods decreased by 18.1% and 4.5% respectively.