Hong Kong's total exports of goods up 2.8 pct in Jan.

In January, the values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on- year increases, at 2.8 percent and 7.9 percent respectively, the Census and Statistics Department announced on Thursday.

In January, the value of total exports of goods (comprising re- exports and domestic exports) increased to 311.9 billion HK dollars (40.19 billion U.S. dollars), after a year-on-year increase of 0.6 percent in December 2014.

Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased to 348.9 billion HK dollars in January 2015, after a year-on-year increase of 1.9 percent in December 2014.

A visible trade deficit of 37.0 billion HK dollars, equivalent to 10.6 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in January.

A government spokesman noted that the value of merchandise exports grew modestly over a year earlier in January 2015, led mainly by a rebound in exports to the Chinese Mainland.

The performance of the advanced markets was generally weak.

However, the spokesman said the trade figures for January were somewhat distorted by the difference in the timing of the Chinese New Year, which fell in mid-February this year but in late January last year.

He commented further that looking ahead, the external environment is subject to various uncertainties, including those stemming from the slow recovery of many advanced economies, diverging monetary policy stances of major central banks, and geopolitical tensions in various regions. These developments are likely to constrain Hong Kong's export performance in the near term. (1 HK dollar = 7.76 U.S. dollars) Endi