5368.0 - International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia, Feb 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/04/2006   
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FEBRUARY KEY FIGURES

December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
Jan 06 to Feb 06
$m
$m
$m
% change

Trend

Balance on goods & services
-1 614
-1 551
-1 426
. .
Credits (exports of goods & services)
15 776
16 044
16 316
2
Debits (imports of goods & services)
17 390
17 595
17 742
1

Seasonally Adjusted

Balance on goods & services
-926
-2 476
-595
. .
Credits (exports of goods & services)
16 533
15 338
16 813
10
Debits (imports of goods & services)
17 459
17 814
17 408
-2

. . not applicable

Balance on goods and services
Graph: Balance on goods and services



FEBRUARY KEY POINTS


TREND ESTIMATES
  • The provisional trend estimate of the balance on goods and services was a deficit of $1,426m in February 2006, a decrease of $125m on the revised deficit in January.
  • Goods and services credits rose $272m (2%) to $16,316m. Goods and services debits rose $147m (1%) to $17,742m.


SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES
  • In seasonally adjusted terms, the balance on goods and services was a deficit of $595m in February, a decrease of $1,881m on the revised deficit in January.
  • The February deficit was the lowest since July 2002.
  • Goods and services credits rose $1,475m (10%) to $16,813m. Non-rural and other goods rose $1,504m (15%) and rural goods fell $36m (2%). Services credits rose $7m.
  • Goods and services debits fell $406m (2%) to $17,408m. Capital goods fell $450m (12%), consumption goods fell $147m (3%), while intermediate and other goods rose $212m (3%). Services debits fell $21m (1%).


ORIGINAL ESTIMATES
  • In original terms, the February balance on goods and services was a deficit of $105m, a decrease of $2,761m on the deficit in January. Goods and services credits rose $1,412m (10%) and goods and services debits fell $1,349m (8%).
  • In the eight months to February, exports of non-rural and other goods were up $17.5b (27%) and rural goods were down $0.9b (5%) on the corresponding period in 2004-05.


NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE Release Date
March 2006 5 May 2006
April 2006 31 May 2006
May 2006 4 July 2006
June 2006 2 August 2006
July 2006 31 August 2006
August 2006 4 October 2006



REVISIONS

Revisions were made to incorporate the latest available data relating to merchandise trade and trade in services.


In original terms, these revisions have:

  • decreased the deficit on goods and services for January 2006 by $161m
  • decreased the deficit for the seven months to January 2006 by $696m.


FEATURE ARTICLE

A feature article addressing the methodology for compiling counts of the number of exporters will be released on the ABS web site on 7 April 2006. The article will be accessible from the Summary page of this issue.



INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Tom Jebbink on Canberra (02) 6252 5540.



ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS


BALANCE ON GOODS AND SERVICES

The trend estimate of the balance on goods and services in February 2006 was a deficit of $1,426m, a decrease of $125m on the deficit in January.


In seasonally adjusted terms, the balance on goods and services in February 2006 was a deficit of $595m, a decrease of $1,881m on the deficit in January.


Exports of goods

GOODS CREDITS
Graph: Goods Credits



Rural goods

The trend estimate of rural goods exports rose $22m (1%) to $2,115m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, exports of rural goods fell $36m (2%) to $2,098m.


The movements in the seasonally adjusted components contributing to this fall were:

  • cereal grains and cereal preparations, down $25m (6%)
  • other rural, down $24m (3%)
  • wool and sheepskins, down $10m (5%).

Partly offsetting these effects were meat and meat preparations, up $23m (4%).


In original terms, exports of rural goods rose $217m (12%) to $2,016m.


Non-rural goods

The trend estimate of non-rural goods exports rose $172m (2%) to $10,064m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, exports of non-rural goods rose $1,406m (15%) to $10,530m.


All seasonally adjusted components contributed to the rise. The main movements were:

  • metal ores and minerals, up $709m (36%)
  • other mineral fuels, up $343m (34%)
  • metals (excluding non-monetary gold), up $175m (21%)
  • other non-rural, up $72m (7%)
  • machinery, up $50m (8%).

Movements in the original series contributing to the rise in seasonally adjusted terms were:
  • metal ores and minerals, up $561m (32%), in contrast to an average January to February fall of 5% over the previous three years, driven by increases in volumes for:
      • non-agglomerated iron ore, up 27%
      • copper ore, up 92%
      • zinc ore, up 35%.
  • other mineral fuels, up $183m (18%), in contrast to an average January to February fall of 8% over the previous three years, driven by an increase in volumes for crude oil, up 57%.
  • metals (excluding non-monetary gold), up $53m (6%), in contrast to an average January to February fall of 11% over the previous three years, driven by an increase in volumes for aluminium, up 8%.

In original terms, exports of non-rural goods rose $1,100m (13%) to $9,305m.


Other goods

The trend estimate of other goods exports rose $52m (6%) to $917m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, exports of other goods rose $98m (12%) to $935m.


The main components contributing to the rise in the seasonally adjusted estimates were:

  • non-monetary gold, up $79m (14%)
  • goods for processing, up $13m (8%).

In original terms, exports of other goods rose $63m (7%) to $953m.


Exports of services

SERVICES CREDITS
Graph: Services Credits



In trend terms, services credits rose $26m (1%) to $3,220m.


Seasonally adjusted, services credits rose $7m to $3,250m.


The movements in the seasonally adjusted components contributing to this rise were:

  • other services, up $8m (1%)
  • transportation services, up $3m.

Partly offsetting these effects was travel services, down $4m.


Seasonally adjusted, tourism related services credits rose $8m to $2,041m.



IMPORTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES

The trend estimate of goods and services debits rose $147m (1%) between January and February to $17,742m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, goods and services debits fell $406m (2%) to $17,408m. Capital goods fell $450m (12%), consumption goods fell $147m (3%) and other goods fell $112m (16%). Intermediate and other merchandise goods rose $324m (5%). Services debits fell $21m (1%).


Imports of goods

GOODS DEBITS
Graph: GOODS DEBITS



Consumption goods

The trend estimate of imports of consumption goods rose $11m to $4,243m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, imports of consumption goods fell $147m (3%) to $4,112m.


The main components contributing to the fall in the seasonally adjusted estimates were:

  • textiles, clothing and footwear, down $60m (11%)
  • consumption goods n.e.s., down $57m (4%)
  • non-industrial transport equipment, down $55m (5%).

Partly offsetting these effects were:
  • toys, books and leisure goods, up $18m (5%)
  • food and beverages for consumption, up $17m (3%).

In original terms, imports of consumption goods fell $176m (5%) to $3,631m.


Capital goods

The trend estimate of imports of capital goods rose $15m to $3,477m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, imports of capital goods fell $450m (12%) to $3,178m.


The main components contributing to the fall in the seasonally adjusted estimates were:

  • civil aircraft, down $455m
  • capital goods n.e.s., down $64m (13%)
  • telecommunications equipment, down $59m (11%).

Partly offsetting these effects were:
  • industrial transport equipment n.e.s., up $123m (32%).
  • machinery and industrial equipment, up $39m (3%)

In original terms, imports of capital goods fell $589m (18%) to $2,681m.


Intermediate and Other Merchandise Goods

The trend estimate of imports of intermediate and other merchandise goods rose $82m (1%) to $6,116m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, intermediate and other merchandise goods imports rose $324m (5%) to $6,246m.


The main movements contributing to the rise in the seasonally adjusted estimates were:

  • fuels and lubricants, up $241m (14%), largely driven by other petroleum products, up $162m (24%) primarily on increased volumes
  • processed industrial supplies n.e.s., up $57m (5%)
  • iron and steel, up $41m (18%)
  • parts for transport equipment, up $38m (6%).

Partly offsetting these effects were:
  • other parts for capital goods, down $22m (3%)
  • plastics, down $15m (7%)
  • other merchandise goods, down $13m (16%).

In original terms, intermediate and other merchandise goods rose $111m (2%) to $5,915m.


Other Goods

The trend estimate of imports of other goods rose $27m (5%) to $595m.


In seasonally adjusted terms, other goods imports fell $112m (16%) to $587m.


The main movement contributing to the fall in the seasonally adjusted estimates was goods for processing, down $107m (20%).


In original terms, other goods imports fell $109m (16%) to $586m.


Imports of services

SERVICES DEBITS
Graph: SERVICES DEBITS



In trend terms, services debits rose $12m to $3,311m.


Seasonally adjusted, services debits fell $21m (1%) to $3,285m.


The movements in the seasonally adjusted components contributing to this fall were:

  • transportation services, down $19m (2%)
  • travel services, down $8m (1%).

Partly offsetting these effects was other services, up $6m (1%).


Seasonally adjusted, tourism related services debits fell $27m (2%) to $1,674m.