Exports to EU in February down 1.2%, imports up

The Central Bureau of Statistics ( CBS ) reported last week that exports to the European Union (EU) in February fell by an annualized 1.2%, but rose by 6.6% in November-2004-January 2005.
 
The CBS noted also that exports to the US declined in December-2004-February 2005, by an annualized 3.9% after remaining unchanged in November 2004.
 
Exports to Asia in January-February 2005 declined by 2.75%, after rising 20.9% in October-December 2004. Exports to the rest of the world in February rose by 2.4%.
 
The CBS emphasized that in trend figures, industrial exports, excluding diamonds, declined in January-February 2005 by 2.9%, after rising in October-December 2004 by 5.3%. Imports from the EU, in December 2004-February 2005, were up by an annualized 3.7% compared with a 9.6% rise in September-November 2004.
 
Imports from Asia in December 2004-February 2005 grew 9.2%, compared with a 22.4% rise in September-November 2004. Imports from the rest of the world rose in December 2004-February 2005 by 15.4%, compared with a 26.3% rise in September-November 2004. Imports in December 2004-February 2005the from the US grew 18.2%.
 
The CBS noted that In trend figures, imports, in February, excluding diamonds, remained unchanged, after rising in November 2004-January 2005 by 6.6%.