5439.0 - International Merchandise Imports, Australia, May 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 21/06/2011   
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MAY KEY FIGURES

March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
$m
$m
$m

Food and live animals
740
685
715
Beverages and tobacco
142
144
140
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels
250
187
280
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials
3 443
3 334
3 190
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes
39
47
60
Chemicals and related products, nes
2 279
2 012
1 990
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material
1 828
1 772
1 993
Machinery and transport equipment
6 934
5 977
6 583
Miscellaneous manufactured articles
2 134
2 094
2 181
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC
735
1 111
930
TOTAL
18 523
17 363
18 061




MAY KEY POINTS


ORIGINAL ESTIMATES
  • In original terms, the May 2011 merchandise imports were $18,061m, an increase of $698m (4%) on the revised April 2011 merchandise imports of $17,363m.


PRELIMINARY BALANCE OF PAYMENTS GOODS IMPORTS
  • Preliminary analysis shows that goods debits (imports) on a balance of payments basis in original terms rose $551m (3%) between April and May 2011. In seasonally adjusted terms goods debits fell $7m from $18,771m in April 2011 to $18,764m in May 2011. Capital goods fell $347m (8%) with the civil aircraft and other confidentialised items component down $301m (42%). Non-monetary gold fell $23m (6%). Consumption goods rose $204m (4%) with the non-industrial transport equipment component up $219m (23%) following a fall of 31% the previous month. Intermediate and other merchandise goods rose $159m (2%).


IMPACT OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami
  • The Japanese earthquake and tsunami occurred on 11 March 2011. On a month to month basis, original series can be impacted by a number of factors including commodity prices, exchange rates, supply constraints, consumer confidence and unusual influences. It is not usually possible to quantify the impact of a specific event, like the Japanese earthquake and tsunami on the import series. The impact of these events will be closely monitored by the ABS.
  • Between April and May 2011 merchandise imports from Japan rose $314m (40%) following a fall of $711m (48%) between March and April 2011. The non-industrial transport equipment component fell $494m (81%) between March and April 2011, but rose $190m between April and May 2011. The fuels and lubricants component was up $150m between April and May 2011.


NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE Release Date
June 2011 19 July 2011
July 2011 18 August 2011
August 2011 19 September 2011
September 2011 19 October 2011
October 2011 17 November 2011
November 2011 19 December 2011



INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Olivia Lam on Canberra (02) 6252 7406.