Israel's May trade deficit totaled NIS 4.7 billion

Imports of goods totaled NIS 24/6 billion, export of goods totaled NIS 19.9 billion
 
Data released last week by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) for May 201 show that import of goods totaled NIS 24.6 billion, export of goods totaled NIS 19.9 billion and trade deficit totaled NIS 4.7 billion.
 
The trend data calculated by the CBS, seasonally adjusted and adjusted for irregular elements, point to a rise in imports of goods (excluding diamonds) of 8.7% at an annual rate. Export of goods point to a rise of 6.8% at an annual rate, during March-May 2012.
 
Import of Goods totaled NIS 24.6 billion. 38% of total imports were import of raw materials (excluding diamonds and fuels); 15% was machinery, equipment and land vehicles for investment; 12% was consumer goods; and the rest diamonds, fuels, ships and aircraft.
 
Import of diamonds (rough and polished) in January-May 2012 totaled NIS 13.1 billion. During the same months in 2011 the import of diamonds totaled NIS15.1 billion.
 
Import of fuels (crude oil, distillates and coal) in January-May 2012 totaled NIS 27.8 billion a rise of 43.2% comparing to the same month of the previous year.
 
Export of Goods totaled NIS 19.9 billion. In May 2012, manufacturing exports (excluding diamonds) constituted 72% of all export of goods. Export of diamonds constituted 26%, and the remaining 2% was agricultural exports.
 
Manufacturing exports point to a rise of 7.0%, at an annual rate, during March- May 2012. Trend data of exports by high technology industries (46% of total manufacture exports) points to a rise of 19.6%, at an annual rate, in March-May 2012 continuing a rise of 5.5% in December 2011-February 2012.
 
Breakdown by economic activity points to a rise of 25.9% in exports of electronic components. Exports of pharmaceutical products point a rise of 21.6%.
 
Trend data of exports by medium-high technology industries (32% of total manufacture exports) point to a drop of 4.9%, at an annual rate, in March-May 2012.
 
Breakdown by economic activity points to a drop in exports of chemical products (excl. pharmaceutical products) of 21.0%.
 
Trend data of exports by medium-low technology industries (17% of total manufacture exports) point to a drop of 3.1%, at an annual rate, in the last three months continuing a decrease of 0.3% during December 2011-February 2012. Breakdown by economic activity points to a drop of 19.4% in exports of mining and quarrying products.
 
Trend data of exports by low technology industries (5% of total manufacture exports) point to a rise of 5.5% at an annual rate, in March-May 2012 continuing a rise of 6.6% in December 2011-February 2012. Breakdown by economic activity, points to a rise of 14.2% in exports of textiles, wearing apparel and leather.
 
Export of diamonds (polished and rough), in January-May 2012, totaled NIS 17.3 billion (NIS 19.1 billion in January-May 2011).
 
Agricultural exports in January-May 2012 totaled NIS 2.9 billion (temporary data) without change compared to the same period in 2011. Export of citrus fruit point to a rise of 38.7% and export of cotton and other field crops point to a rise of 41.4%.