Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article news.gov.hk
Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade in January 2015
************************************************************

     Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for January 2015 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (March 19) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.

     In January 2015, the volume of Hong Kong's re-exports of goods increased by 0.9% over January 2014, while that of domestic exports increased by 6.3%. Taken together, the volume of total exports of goods increased by 0.9%. Concurrently, the volume of imports of goods increased by 7.8%.

     Comparing the three months ending January 2015 with the three months ending January 2014, the volume of Hong Kong's re-exports of goods decreased by 0.7%, whereas that of domestic exports remained virtually unchanged. Taken together, the volume of total exports of goods decreased by 0.7%. On the other hand, the volume of imports of goods grew by 2.7%.

     Comparing the three-month period ending January 2015 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods decreased by 2.8%. Within this total, the volume of re-exports decreased by 2.7%, while that of domestic exports decreased by 3.4%. Concurrently, the volume of imports of goods decreased by 2.5%.

     Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.

     Comparing January 2015 with January 2014, the prices of re-exports of goods increased by 2.3%, whereas those of domestic exports decreased by 1.6%. Taken together, the prices of total exports of goods increased by 2.2%. Concurrently, the prices of imports of goods increased by 0.6%.

     Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.

     The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same period in 2014, the index increased by 1.6% in January 2015.

     Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.

     Comparing January 2015 with January 2014, the total export volume to Vietnam increased substantially, by 32.6%. Concurrently, the total export volume to the mainland of China (the Mainland) increased by 6.9%. On the other hand, the total export volume to India, the USA and Japan decreased by 2.8%, 7.7% and 13.4% respectively.

     Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to the Mainland, Vietnam and the USA increased by 2.6%, 2.6% and 1.9% respectively. On the other hand, the total export prices to Japan and India decreased by 0.4% and 4.0% respectively.

     Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.

     Comparing January 2015 with January 2014, the import volume from Japan increased markedly, by 29.8%. Double-digit growths were also recorded for the import volume from Taiwan (+14.9%) and Singapore (+12.6%). Concurrently, the import volume from the USA and the Mainland increased by 5.1% and 3.9% respectively.

     Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from Taiwan and the Mainland increased by 3.7% and 1.6% respectively. On the other hand, the import prices from the USA, Singapore and Japan decreased by 0.6%, 1.1% and 4.2% respectively.

Further information

     C&SD has announced the use of the chain linking approach in the compilation of trade index numbers on March 12, 2015. The above volume statistics are based on the new series of trade index numbers compiled using the new methodology. Details of the new compilation methodology have been published in a feature article in the March 2015 issue of "Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics".

     Details of the above statistics can be found in the January 2015 issue of "Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers". Users can download the publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk).

     Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to Trade Analysis Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4918).

Ends/Thursday, March 19, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:31

NNNN

Print this page