Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the total value of exports of goods amounted to MOP1.34 billion in March 2008, down by 1.5% year-on-year, of which domestic exports increased by 2.5% to MOP765 million, while re-exports dropped by 6.5% to MOP571 million. Total value of imports of goods amounted to MOP3.78 billion, up by 8.6% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.44 billion was recorded for March 2008.

During the period of January-March 2008, the value of total exports fell by 7.1% year-on-year to MOP4.01 billion, of which domestic exports and re-exports declined by 7.3% and 6.8% respectively. Meanwhile, the value of imports grew by 13.3% to MOP10.38 billion, bringing about a trade deficit of MOP6.37 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 47.1% in the first three months of 2007 to 38.6% in the same period of 2008.

As regards exports of goods, the value of exports of Textile & garment, accounting for 59.5% of the total exports in the first three months of 2008, declined by 11.1% over the same period of 2007; moreover, exports of Non-textile fell slightly by 0.6%, of which Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear dropped by 43.0% and 38.5% respectively.

In the first three months of 2008, the value of exports to the USA, Mainland China and the EU decreased by 3.6%, 33.1% and 32.3% respectively year-on-year, while that to Hong Kong rose by 21.2%.

The main suppliers of imported goods to Macao concentrated in the Asian region. The value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, comprising 51.0% of the total imports in the first three months of 2008, rose by 9.5% and 14.1% respectively year-on-year.

In terms of broad economic categories, imports of Fuels & lubricants, Consumer goods and Capital goods in the first three months of 2008 expanded by 36.2%, 28.6% and 3.7% respectively year-on-year, but imports of Raw materials & semi-manufactures decreased by 8.1%.