Sliding trade

Macau’s total merchandise trade value fell by 2.6 per cent year-on-year to MOP7.53 billion (US$941.3 million) for the month of January as local exports and imports both registered decreases.
According to the official data of the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), total imports of the MSAR dropped by 2.9 per cent year-on-year in the month, amounting to some MOP6.56 billion, while total exports also recorded a slight decrease of 0.4 per cent year-on-year to MOP971.1 million despite a notable 19.7 per cent increase apparent in domestic exports of MOP169.4 million.
In terms of imports, the city saw those of gold jewellery rebound 33.4 per cent year-on-year to some MOP720.7 million for the month, while watches surged by 27.2 per cent year-on-year to MOP457.3 million. In addition, the importation of handbags & wallets increased by 19.3 per cent year-on-year to MOP272.2 million.
However, imports of construction materials to the MSAR plunged 39.6 per cent year-on-year to MOP126.6 million. Local imports of mobile phones fell 4.3 per cent year-on-year to some MOP662.8 million.
By place of origin, MOP2.33 billion of the city’s imports were from the Mainland, which represents a year-on-year decrease of 13 per cent. In particular, local imports from the nine provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta fell 7.9 per cent year-on-year to some MOP822 million.
Nevertheless, local imports from the Portuguese-speaking countries soared 22.8 per cent year-on-year to some MOP62 million during the month, while those from the European Union ticked up 6.4 per cent year-on-year to MOP1.68 billion.
On the other hand, the city’s exports of diamond & diamond jewellery surged 74.6 per cent year-on-year to MOP145.9 million, in addition to a 17.5 per cent increase in tobacco & wines, at MOP60.4 million.
Exports of watches, however, decreased by 18 per cent year-on-year to MOP96.4 million while electronic components also fell by 6.1 per cent year-on-year to MOP80.2 million.
Total exports of textiles and garments, meanwhile, plunged 39.3 per cent year-on-year to MOP43.9 million during the month.
According to DSEC, over half, some 66.2 per cent, of the city’s exports went to Hong Kong, up 1.4 per cent year-on-year to MOP643 million. In addition, those to the U.S. and the European Union grew 110.2 per cent and 21.6 per cent year-on-year, amounting to some MOP22 million and MOP21 million, respectively.
However, the city’s exports to Mainland China dropped by 19.8 per cent year-on-year to MOP111 million, of which those to the nine provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta posted a more significant drop of 24.1 per cent, accounting for some MOP100 million.