Five-month visible trade gap shrinks by Lm17.4 million

Between January and March this year, Malta’s the visible trade gap had contracted by Lm17.4 million to Lm130.3 million down from the Lm147.7 million registered over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, according to statistics released by the National Statistics Office yesterday, in May this year total imports were up by Lm1.8 million to Lm108.8 million from Lm107.0 million in the same month last year.

At Lm56.5 million, the importation of industrial supplies was more or less at last year’s level. Imports of capital goods were up by Lm1.0 million to Lm19.4 million. Consumer goods imports increased by Lm1.7 million to Lm27.5 million. The importation of fuel and lubricants was down by Lm0.7 million to Lm5.4 million.

During the month under review total exports were up by Lm1.7 million to Lm76.7 million. While domestic exports were down by Lm2.5 million to Lm65.8 million, re-exports were up by Lm4.2 million to Lm10.9 million.

Merchandise trade: January-May

Over the first five months this year, total imports declined by Lm41.3 million 7.7 per cent to Lm492.7 million from Lm534 million in the same month last year.

Imports of industrial supplies were down by Lm41.9 million to Lm252.8 million. The importation of capital goods dropped by Lm4.7 million to Lm81.8 million. In the same period, imports of consumer goods were up by Lm8.9 million to Lm120.8 million from Lm111.9 million last year. Fuel imports were down by Lm3.6 million to Lm37.3 million.

During the period in question, total exports were down by Lm23.9 million or 6.2 per cent to Lm362.4 million from Lm386.3 million last year. On their own, domestic exports were down by Lm42.6 million to Lm312.4 million from Lm355.0 million last year. Re-exports were up by Lm18.7 million to Lm50.0 million from Lm31.3 million last year.