Electronics and Components remained as the top export for March 2000, with an aggregate value placed at $1.523 billion. About 58.9 percent of this amount came from exports of semi-conductor devices, manufactured from materials on consignment basis which netted $896.27 million up by 0.9 percent from $888.40 million a year ago. For micro-circuits valued at $291.69 million, the top earner was digital monolithic integrated units group which comprised 10.9 percent of the aggregate revenue for Electronics and Components. Receipts from other electronics and components consisting mainly of finished electrical and electronic machinery and parts, manufactured from materials on consignment basis, accounted for 17.1 percent and grew by 8.1 percent to $260.28 million from $240.83 million last year.

Receipts from Input/Output/Peripheral Units grew by 45.0 percent to $274.99 million from $189.63 million last year.

Valued at $99.80 million which was 17.6 percent higher than $84.85 million in 1999, articles of apparel and clothing accessories not manufactured from materials on consignment basis accounted for 52.3 percent of the total exports of articles of apparel and clothing accessories. Women's wear manufactured from materials on consignment basis valued at $34.42 million accounted for 18.0 percent while men's wear worth $30.38 million accounted for 15.9 percent. Children's and infant's wear followed with $15.47 million or 8.1 percent of the total.

Exports of petroleum products valued at $42.09 million went up by 384.9 percent from $8.68 million. The steep rise was largely due to the heavy sales of fuel oils which amounted to $18.62 million from nil a year back. Petroleum naphtha posted a 249.9 percent increase as receipts reached $18.17 million from $5.19 million a year ago.

SHARE OF US MARKET DOWN TO 25.4 PERCENT

Exports of Electronics and Components to the US amounted to $386.11 million which was 9.5 percent lower than $426.67 million last year. In terms of percentage share, the US share also fell to 25.4 percent from 29.8 percent a year ago. The share of Netherlands likewise dropped to 12.4 percent from 13.5 percent as value fell by 2.9 percent to $188.44 million from $194.02 million in 1999. However Singapore and Japan had increased market shares with shipments valued at $169.74 million and $165.83 million, respectively. Other large markets for Electronics and Components were Taiwan (8.4 percent), UK of Great Britain (6.6 percent), and Hongkong (5.1 percent).

USA & JAPAN STILL TOP MARKETS OF INPUT/ OUTPUT/PERIPHERAL UNITS

The United States cornered 29.7 percent of the total export of input/output/peripheral units for March 2000 with $81.78 million, a 110.9 percent increase from $38.77 million in 1999. Receipts from Japan went up by 35.4 percent to $79.43 million and with an equivalent share of 28.9 percent. Sales to Taiwan accounted for 10.9 and went up by 164.5 percent to $30.04 million. Other large markets were the Netherlands ($25.82 million), UK of Great Britain ($13.12 million), and Germany ($11.16 million).

GARMENT EXPORTS TO US REACH $143.41 MILLION

Aggregate receipts from the United States representing 75.2 percent of the total exports of Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories amounted to $143.41 million which was 11.2 percent higher than $128.93 million in 1999. UK of Great Britain followed with a 4.7 percent share while at third was Japan with a 4.4 percent share. Other major markets for Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories were Germany (3.0 percent); Canada (1.7 percent); and, Hongkong, 1.1 percent).

CHINA NOW TOP MARKET FOR PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

People's Republic of China cornered 42.6 percent of exports of petroleum products. Valued at $17.94 million, sales to People's Republic of China soared by 1,920.5 percent from only $0.888 million in March 1999. Singapore ranked second with payments valued at $12.07 million or 28.7 percent of the total. Japan followed with an 18.8 percent share while the US came fourth with a 1.8 percent share.