WASHINGTON: The value of merchandise imports in August registered an increase for the first time since August 2015, up by 1.8 per cent year-on-year to MOP6.92 billion. According to information released on Thursday by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), imports of large passenger cars surged by 722.9 per cent and imports of watches and gold jewelry rose by 40.7 per cent and 16.5 per cent respectively. The merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP5.94 billion. In the first eight months of 2016, the total value of merchandise imports fell by 18.7 per cent to MOP46.05 billion, and the merchandise trade deficit increased to MOP39.13 billion.
Regarding merchandise exports, in August the total value amounted to MOP973 million, up by 8.4 per cent year-on-year. Analyzed by destination, in the first eight months of 2016 merchandise imports from mainland China (MOP16.54 billion) and the EU (MOP11.35 billion) decreased by 21.1 per cent and 11 per cent respectively year-on-year.
