2015 gold jewelry imports in Macau drop 3 percent

2015 gold jewelry imports in Macau drop 3 percent

Macau’s gold jewelry imports fell 31.2 percent year-on-year to 7.04 billion patacas in 2015, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC)

An employee touches gold bangles as they sit in display inside a Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd. jewelry store in the Central district of Hong Kong, China, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015. Gold rose for a second day, extending a rebound from the lowest level in a month, as falling retail sales in the U.S. cast doubt on the pace of growth in the world’s largest economy, boosting demand for a haven. Photographer: Billy H.C. Kwok/Bloomberg
BY STAFF REPORTER
BY STAFF REPORTER

Macau’s gold jewelry imports fell 31.2 percent year-on-year to 7.04 billion patacas in 2015, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced.

Imports of watches – another item popular with mainland tourists – dropped 21.5 percent to 6.23 billion patacas.

Imports of cars and motorcycles decreased 23.1 percent to 2.85 billion patacas. Imports of handbags and wallets dropped 20.3 percent to 2.79 billion patacas.

Mobile phone imports rose 7 percent to 7.98 billion patacas.

Overall imports fell 5.9 percent to 84.66 billion patacas last year. Total exports rose 7.8 percent to 10.69 billion patacas. Re-exports accounted for 83 percent of all exports.

Macau’s external merchandise trade deficit rose 7.6 percent to 73.97 billion patacas.

Most of the city’s imports originated from the mainland (37.6 percent), Hong Kong (8.9 percent) and Switzerland (7.6 percent).

Most exports went to Hong Kong (59.2 percent) and the mainland (17.2 percent).

(Macaunews/macaupost)