The volume of Hong Kong's total goods exports rose 5% in November, compared with the same month a year earlier. Goods re-exports were up 5.3% and domestic exports down 1.3%, the Census & Statistics Department says.

The volume of goods imports rose 9.6% in the month.

For January-November last year, the volume of total goods exports grew 8.5%, with goods re-exports up 10.3% and domestic exports down 21.4%. The volume of goods imports rose 10.5%.

Comparing the quarter ending November with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total goods exports increased 0.6%, with re-exports and domestic exports up 0.6% and 0.2%. The volume of goods imports grew 2.8%.

Exports prices up 2.9%

The prices of total goods exports went up 2.9% in November, with goods re-exports and domestic exports up 3% and 0.8%. The prices of goods imports grew 3.1%.

For January-November last year, the prices of total goods exports rose 2.3%, with goods re-exports and domestic exports up 2.4% and 0.7%. The prices of goods imports increased 2.2%.

The trade index dipped 0.2% over a year earlier in November, but rose 0.1% in January-November.

Exports to Mainland up 8.7%

November saw the total export volume to the Mainland rise 8.7%, to the UK, 3.7% and to Germany, 3.6%. The total export volume to Japan fell 3.5% with that to the US slipping 6.7%.

The total export prices to all main destinations increased, with the US up 4.2%, the UK 3%, the Mainland 2.9%, Japan 1.9%, and Germany 1.2%.

Double-digit growth was recorded for the import volume from the US (up 15%) and the Mainland (up 11.4%). The import volume from Singapore rose 7%, Japan 6.7% and Taiwan 3.7%.

The import prices from Singapore climbed 10.1%, from the Mainland 3%, Taiwan 2.5% and Japan 1.2%. The import prices from the US dipped 0.1%.

More details can be found in the November 2007 issue of the Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers, which is available for free download here.