Volume of re-exports of goods grow by 11%

17 Jun '08

3 min read

As regards price changes in the first four months of 2008 over the same period in 2007, the prices of re-exports of goods increased by 2.8%, while those of domestic exports increased by 3.7%. Taken together, the prices of total exports of goods increased by 2.8%. Concurrently, the prices of imports of goods increased by 3.8%.

Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.

The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same period in 2007, the index decreased by 1.2% in April 2008 and 1.0% in the first four months of 2008.

In April 2008, the total export volume to Germany and the mainland of China (the Mainland) grew significantly, by 21.7% and 20.2% respectively, over April 2007. On the other hand, the total export volume to the United Kingdom, Japan and the USA decreased by 1.8%, 5.3% and 7.2% respectively.

Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: the USA (+6.5%), Germany (+5.4%), the United Kingdom (+5.0%), Japan (+4.0%) and the Mainland (+1.1%).

In April 2008, double-digit growth was recorded for the import volume from the USA (+15.7%) over April 2007. Concurrently, the import volume from Japan, Singapore, the Mainland and Taiwan increased by 7.9%, 6.2%, 5.3% and 4.6% respectively.

Comparing April 2008 with April 2007, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Singapore (+14.8%), Taiwan (+5.5%), the Mainland (+3.5%), Japan (+2.5%) and the USA (+1.3%).

Census and Statistics Department

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