5439.0 - International Merchandise Imports, Australia, Oct 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/11/2008   
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OCTOBER KEY FIGURES

August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
$m
$m
$m

Food and live animals
634
747
821
Beverages and tobacco
123
179
195
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels
268
245
312
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials
2 784
3 334
3 552
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes
57
70
52
Chemicals and related products, nes
1 979
2 107
2 332
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material
2 050
2 382
2 675
Machinery and transport equipment
7 429
7 477
8 080
Miscellaneous manufactured articles
2 267
2 901
2 929
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC
812
1 505
956
TOTAL
18 403
20 945
21 906





OCTOBER KEY POINTS


ORIGINAL ESTIMATES
  • In original terms, the October 2008 merchandise imports were $21,906m, an increase of $961m (5%) on the revised September 2008 merchandise imports of $20,945m.


PRELIMINARY BALANCE OF PAYMENTS GOODS IMPORTS
  • Preliminary analysis shows that goods imports (debits) on a balance of payments basis increased by $109m (1%) in seasonally adjusted terms between September and October 2008. Intermediate and other merchandise goods rose $354m (4%) with fuels and lubricants, up $287m (9%) and Consumption goods rose $153m (3%). Capital goods fell $234m (5%) mainly driven by the civil aircraft component. Other goods fell $165m (13%) with non-monetary gold down $160m (16%).


NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE Release Date
November 2008 17 December 2008
December 2008 19 January 2009
January 2009 18 February 2009
February 2009 19 March 2009
March 2009 21 April 2009
April 2009 20 May 2009



INTRODUCTION

This publication presents statistics of Australia's merchandise imports classified according to the broadest level (1 digit sections) of the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification. The data are compiled from information submitted by importers or their agents to the Australian Customs Service. For more details see International Merchandise Trade, Australia: Concepts, Sources and Methods (cat. no. 5489.0) on the ABS web site. More detailed merchandise imports data are available on the ABS web site www.abs.gov.au from the Downloads tab of this issue or by contacting the National Information and Referral Service.


INQUIRIES

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