NEWS RELEASE EXTERNAL TRADE 29 MAY 2009


Balance of trade
The value of exported goods from Iceland amounted to ISK 132,400 million fob and the value of imported goods amounted to ISK 115,500 million fob (ISK 126,200 million cif) January-April 2009. Thus there was a trade surplus, calculated on fob value, of 16,900 million as compared with a trade deficit of ISK 37,800 million in January-April 2008, at fixed rates of exhange¹.

Exports
The total value of exports of goods January-April 2009 was ISK 43,200 million or 24.6% lower at constant rates of exchange than in the same period the year before. Marine products were 44% of the total exports and their value 20.2% lower than the same period the year before. Exported manufacturing products were 48% of total exported goods and their value was 20.8% less than in the same period the year before. The largest decrease in value occurred in the export of manufacturing products, mainly aluminium, but there was also an decrease in exports of marine products.

Imports
The total value of imports of goods January-April 2009 was ISK 97,900 million or 45.9% lower at constant rates of exchange that in the same period the year before. There was a decrease in almost all items of imports, largest in capital goods, industrial supplies and transport equipments.

Balance of trade in January April 2009
Change on previous year at constant exchange rates, % January-April
Million ISK at fixed exchange rate
April January–April
  2008 2009 2008 2009
Exports fob, total 57,712 31,709 175,613 132,400 -24.6
Imports fob, total 58,594 29,403 213,440 115,525 -45.9
Balance of trade -882 2,306 -37,826 16,875 .

The value of exports and imports January-April 2008 and 2009
Change on previous year at constant exchange rates 1) %  January-April
Million ISK at current exchange rate
January-April January-April
  2008 2009
Exports fob, total 118,306.0 132,400.0 -24.6
Marine products 48,665.0 57,669.0 -20.2
Agricultural products 1,492.6 2,644.7 19.4
Manufacturing products 54,401.3 63,988.7 -20.8
Other products 13,747.1 8,097.6 -60.3
Imports fob, total 143,788.5 115,525.4 -45.9
Food and beverages 10,767.5 11,707.2 -26.8
Industrial supplies n.e.s. 41,517.6 38,531.2 -37.5
Fuels and lubricants 13,719.3 12,771.9 -37.3
Capital goods (except for transport) 35,301.5 27,214.9 -48.1
Transport equipment 20,318.3 7,702.6 -74.5
Consumer goods n.e.s. 22,084.8 17,415.0 -46.9
Goods n.e.s. 79.7 182.5 54.3
Balance of trade -25,482.6 16,874.6 ·


¹ Based on trade-weighted index of average foreign currency prices in terms of ISK, change on previous year 48.4%. In April 2009, foreign currency prices were 44.0% higher than in April 2008.

Monthly figures of external trade for current year are revised together with the release of figures for new months. Annual figures are published in the first half of the year after the end of the reference year. The figures are considered as final at that point of time.

Statistics

Further Information

For further information please contact 528 1100 , email upplysingar@hagstofa.is

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