Merchandise trade for the first month of 1998 reached $4.947 billion, which was a 9.2 percent increase from the year-ago level of $4.530 billion. Export receipts went up by 25.0 percent to $2.115 billion from $1.692 billion a year earlier while import payments dipped by 0.2 percent to $2.832 billion from $2.838 billion. The balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) was $717 million, which dropped by 37.4 percent from $1.146 billion in January last year.

Total merchandise trade from January to November amounted to $55.863 billion, up by 15.5 percent from $48.369 billion last year. Payments for imported goods grew by 10.6 percent to $32.866 billion from $29.709 billion while receipts from exports rose by 23.2 percent to $22.997 billion from $18.660 billion. The 11-month balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) narrowed by 10.7 percent to $9.869 billion from $11.049 billion in 1996.

The total merchandise trade performance for the first nine months of 1997 increased by 15.3 percent to $45.023 billion from $39.064 billion for the same period in 1996. Imports grew by 10.5 percent to $26.661 billion from $24.138 billion last year. Exports improved by 23.0 percent to $18.363 billion from $14.926 billion in 1996. These resulted in a balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) deficit of $8.298 billion or almost 10.0 percent drop from the year-ago level of $9.212 billion.