Re-exports of diamonds and diamond jewellery skyrocketed 303.8 per cent in April, amounting to MOP60 million-worth of trade, or nearly 10 per cent of the total merchandise that has been routed through Macau in re-exporting activity.
According to the latest data released by the Statistics and Census Services (DSEC), re-exports amounted to MOP692 million over the same period, recording an increase of 15.2 per cent year-on-year.
As for the value of goods leaving Macau’s borders during the month, it was up 11 per cent, reaching MOP839 million, while the amount of domestic exports fell 5.2 per cent to MOP147 million.
Down 1.1 per cent from last year, imports totalled MOP5.42 billion, with the purchase of mobile phones from outside markets falling particularly, down 32.8 per cent to MOP1.45 billion.
Overall, the merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP4.58 billion.
Q1 outlook
On a quarterly basis, both exports and imports increased.
Exports were up 9.3 per cent to MOP3.78 billion, with the value of re-exports (MOP3.19 billion) and domestic exports (MOP592 million) up 9.2 per cent and 9.5 per cent, respectively.
Exports of diamonds and diamond jewellery also performed positively, amounting to MOP373 million, posting an increase of 46 per cent, while the external sale of machines, apparatus and parts dropped 45.2 per cent to MOP193 million.
As for imports, the total value of merchandise purchased abroad rose 4.4 per cent for the same period last year, reaching MOP23.36 billion.
The amount of external merchandise trade totalled MOP27.14 billion in the first four months of 2017, up 5 per cent when compared to a year before (MOP25.84 billion).
Merchandise trade deficit reached MOP19.57 billion over the period analysed by DESC.
Trading routes
Trade business between Macau and Portuguese-speaking countries recorded decreases in both directions during the first quarter 2017.
While exports to the Portuguese-speaking countries plunged 85.4 per cent year-on-year, totalling just MOP300,000, imports from the latter dropped 6.1 per cent to MOP195 million.
With regard to exports to Hong Kong (MOP2.43 billion), the European Union (MOP71 million) and the U.S. (MOP62 million) all posted increases: of 16.8 per cent, 22.2 per cent and 27.1 per cent, respectively.
