Imports fall anew in May

Rappler.com

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The decline in electronics shipments weighed on imports

A staff of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines shows in their Manila office on December 10, 2008 computer chips manufactured by foreign semiconductor firms in the country. AFP PHOTO/ROMEO GACAD

MANILA, Philippines – After posting a rebound in April, merchandise imports fell again in May due to the continued decline in electronics shipments.

Data from the National Statistics Office showed the country imported $5.257 billion worth of goods in May, down 2.4% from $5.385 in the same month of 2012. This was the fourth month this year that imports contracted.

Imports fell 7.9% in January, 5.8% in February and 8.4% in March. In April however they grew 7.4%.

Imports for the first 5 months of 2013 amounted to $24.755 billion, down 3.6% year on year.

Shipments of electronic products, the raw materials used by the semiconductor and electronics industry for their exports, dropped 10.6% in May to $1.275 billion from $1.426 billion in May 2012. Electronics accounted for 24.3% of the total import bill, the biggest share.

The value of imports from China, the Philippines’ biggest source, rose 21.8% to $727.45 million in May.

Imports from the US, the top 2 source, went down 15% to $553.39 million. – Rappler.com

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