Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of total merchandise import for February 2010 increased for the fourth consecutive month, up by 9.2% year-on-year to MOP2.89 billion. However, value of merchandise export saw continuous decrease, down by 24.5% year-on-year to MOP461 million, with value of domestic exports falling by 31.4% to MOP151 million and that of re-exports dropping by 20.6% to MOP310 million. A trade deficit of MOP2.43 billion was recorded for February 2010.

From January to February 2010, total value of merchandise export fell by 21.4% year-on-year to MOP1.08 billion, of which the value of domestic exports declined by 44.7% and that of re-exports slid slightly by 0.1%; meanwhile, total value of merchandise import grew by 16.7% to MOP6.44 billion. The trade deficit for the first two months of 2010 widened further by 29.3% year-on-year to MOP5.36 billion; the exports/imports ratio went down by 8.1 percentage points year-on-year to 16.8%.

Analyzed by destination of exports, value of merchandise export to Hong Kong in the first two months of 2010 increased by 6.4% year-on-year to MOP479 million, while that to Mainland China (MOP139 million), the USA (MOP139 million) and the EU (MOP63 million) decreased by 26.5%, 62.1% and 48.5% respectively. Exports of Textile & garment amounted to MOP247 million, down substantially by 59.1% year-on-year to account for 22.9% of the total merchandise export; however, value of Non-textile exports (MOP833 million) grew by 8.1%, with that of Copper & articles thereof rising notably by 141.7%, and value of Jewellery and Articles for casino growing by 77.5% and 65.8% respectively.

Regarding the country of origin of imported goods, in the first two months of 2010, value of merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP1.90 billion) and the EU (MOP1.45 billion) expanded by 18.4% and 16.5% respectively year-on-year. In terms of Broad Economic Categories, value of imports of Consumer goods rose by 39.5% year-on-year, with that of Motor cars & motorcycles growing significantly by 98.0%; nevertheless, the value of imports of Capital goods and Raw materials & semi-manufactures fell by 19.4% and 9.0% respectively.

From January to February 2010, total value of merchandise import and export amounted to MOP7.52 billion, up by 9.1% compared with MOP6.90 billion in the first two months of 2009.