Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for September 2018 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (November 15) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
 
     In September 2018, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods increased by 1.9% over September 2017. Concurrently, the volume of imports of goods increased by 2.1%.
 
     Comparing the first nine months of 2018 with the same period in 2017, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods increased by 6.6%. Concurrently, the volume of imports of goods increased by 8.2%.
 
     Comparing the third quarter of 2018 with the preceding quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods increased by 1.2%. Concurrently, the volume of imports of goods increased by 2.1%.
 
     Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
 
     Comparing September 2018 with September 2017, the prices of total exports of goods increased by 2.7%. Concurrently, the prices of imports of goods increased by 2.9%.
 
     As regards price changes in the first nine months of 2018 over the same period in 2017, the prices of total exports of goods increased by 2.5%. Concurrently, the prices of imports of goods increased by 2.6%.
 
     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 periods in 2017, the index decreased by 0.2% and 0.1% in September 2018 and in the first nine months of 2018 respectively.

     Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.
 
     Comparing September 2018 with September 2017, the total export volume to India, the USA, the mainland of China (the Mainland) and Vietnam increased by 8.3%, 3.3%, 2.8% and 2.4% respectively. On the other hand, the total export volume to Japan decreased by 14.7%.
 
     Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to the Mainland, Japan, the USA and Vietnam increased by 3.9%, 2.5%, 2.4% and 1.1% respectively. On the other hand, the total export prices to India decreased by 1.9%.
 
     Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.
 
     Comparing September 2018 with September 2017, a double-digit growth of 15.4% was recorded for the import volume from Singapore. Concurrently, the import volume from Korea increased by 1.4%. On the other hand, the import volume from Japan, the Mainland and Taiwan decreased by 0.1%, 0.7% and 4.8% respectively.
 
     Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Korea (+8.2%), the Mainland (+3.6%), Singapore (+3.3%), Japan (+2.7%) and Taiwan (+0.7%).
 
Further information
 
     Details of the above statistics are published in the September 2018 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/hkstat/sub/sp230.jsp?productCode=B1020006).
 
     Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4918).

Ends/Thursday, November 15, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:30

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