Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the total value of exports of goods amounted to MOP1.35 billion in April 2008, down by 14.2% year-on-year; domestic exports decreased by 11.6% to MOP830 million, and re-exports dropped by 18.1% to MOP523 million. Total value of imports of goods amounted to MOP3.78 billion, up by 4.4% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.43 billion was recorded for April 2008.

During the period of January-April 2008, the total exports fell by 9.0% year-on-year to MOP5.36 billion, of which domestic exports and re-exports declined by 8.4% and 10.1% respectively. Meanwhile, the imports grew by 10.8% to MOP14.15 billion, bringing about a trade deficit of MOP8.79 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 46.1% in the first four months of 2007 to 37.9% in the same period of 2008.

Exports of Textile & garment, accounting for 59.5% of the total exports in the first four months of 2008, declined by 12.9% over the same period of 2007; moreover, exports of Non-textile fell by 2.7%, of which Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear dropped by 49.2% and 45.9% respectively.

In the first four months of 2008, exports to the USA, Mainland China and the EU decreased by 5.0%, 38.6% and 35.6% respectively year-on-year, while that to Hong Kong rose by 21.9%.

The main suppliers of imported goods to Macao concentrated in the Asian region, imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, comprising 51.6% of the total imports in the first four months of 2008, rose by 6.6% and 20.3% respectively year-on-year.

In terms of broad economic categories, imports of Fuels & lubricants and Consumer goods in the first four months of 2008 expanded by 32.7% and 28.7% respectively year-on-year, but imports of Raw materials & semi-manufactures and Capital goods decreased by 10.6% and 1.4% respectively.