In May of 2013, the value of total exports of goods decreased by 1 percent over a year earlier to HKD 291.5 billion, after a year-on-year increase of 9 percent in April. Within this total, the value of re-exports decreased by 0.9 percent, while the value of domestic exports decreased by 9 percent. Month-over-month, exports marginally increased by 0.4 percent.
Year-on-year, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 0.7 percent in May, in particular those to India (+24.9 percent), Vietnam (+11.3 percent), Korea (+4.5 percent), the Philippines (+0.8 percent) and the mainland of China (+0.7 percent). On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the values of total exports to Japan (-12.1 percent), Malaysia (-10.2 percent) and Taiwan (-9.9 percent).
Apart from destinations in Asia, decreases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular Germany (-11.1 percent), the United Kingdom (-9.0 percent) and the USA (-7.9 percent).
Year-on-year, decreases were registered in the values of total exports of office machines and automatic data processing machines (-20.7 percent) and baby carriages, toys, games and sporting goods (-6.3 percent). However, increases were registered in the values of total exports of telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (+10.8 percent).
The value of imports of goods increased by 1.7 percent over a year earlier to HKD 335.8 billion in May 2013, after a year-on-year increase of 7.7 percent in April, mainly due to higher imports of telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (+14.7 percent) and electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (+7.7 percent). However, decreases were registered in the values of imports of office machines and automatic data processing machines (-20.2 percent). Month-over-month, imports increased 0.85 percent.
Increases were registered in the values of imports from Korea (+22.3 percent), Taiwan (+10.1 percent), the USA (+5.2 percent), India (+3.1 percent), Thailand (+2.9 percent) and China (+1.5 percent). Concurrently, decreases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular Malaysia (-24.7 percent), Japan (-14.3 percent) and Switzerland (-7.7 percent).