HK External Trade Posts Marked Rise in SeptemberHong Kong's total exports and imports of goods showed further marked year-on-year increases in September this year, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department said on Thursday.According to figures released by the department, the value of total exports of goods increased strongly, by 25 percent, in September over a year earlier to 151.2 billion HK dollars (19.38 billion U.S. dollars). Within the total, the value of re-exports surged by 26.4 percent to 134.3 billion HK dollars (17.2 billion U.S. dollars), while that of domestic exports rose by 14.6 percent to 16.9 billion HK dollars (2.17 billion U.S. dollars). The value of imports of goods also soared, by 25.4 percent, in September over a year earlier to 156.4 billion HK dollars (20 billion U.S. dollars). A visible trade deficit of 5.2 billion HK dollars, equivalent to 3.3 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in September, compared with the deficit of 3.8 billion HK dollars recorded in September of 1999. For the first nine months of 2000 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased distinctly, by 18.1 percent, over a year earlier. And the value of imports of goods also rose markedly, by 20.9 percent. Taken together, a visible trade deficit of 65.2 billion HK dollars (8.36 billion U.S. dollars), equivalent to 5.4 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded. A Government Secretariat spokesman noted that the robust performance of merchandise exports was sustained in September, underpinned by the continued strong import intake in all the major markets. Along with the pick-up in domestic demand, imports retained for local use continued to record marked increases in recent months, the spokesman said. |
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