Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for May 2014 amounted to MOP928 million, up by 18% year-on-year; value of re-exports (MOP741 million) increased by 29%, but that of domestic exports (MOP187 million) decreased by 12%. Total merchandise import was MOP7.45 billion, up by 12% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP6.52 billion for May 2014. In the first five months of 2014, total value of merchandise export increased by 10% year-on-year to MOP4.24 billion, of which value of re-exports (MOP3.44 billion) increased by 15%, but that of domestic exports (MOP802 million) decreased by 5%. Total value of merchandise import grew by 15% to MOP36.63 billion. Merchandise trade deficit widened to MOP32.38 billion for the first five months of 2014. Analysed by destination, merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP2.65 billion) and the EU (MOP127 million) in the first five months of 2014 increased by 23% and 6% respectively year-on-year, while export to Mainland China (MOP546 million) and the USA (MOP134 million) decreased by 11% and 14% respectively. Exports of Non-textiles (MOP3.93 billion) increased by 13% year-on-year, of which exports of Machines, apparatus & parts (MOP805 million) rose by 47% and exports of Clocks & watches (MOP521 million) doubled. Exports of Textiles & garments (MOP311 million) decreased by 18%, of which exports of Knitted or crocheted garments (MOP100 million) declined by 21%. By country of origin, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP11.63 billion) and the EU (MOP9.37 billion) increased by 11% and 26% respectively year-on-year in the first five months of 2014. Imports of Consumer goods rose by 19% to MOP23.62 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP4.63 billion) and Watches (MOP3.59 billion) increasing by 51% and 75% respectively. Moreover, imports of Construction materials (MOP1.43 billion) grew by 35%. External merchandise trade reached MOP40.87 billion in the first five months of 2014, up by 15% compared with MOP35.57 billion a year earlier.
