External trade in goods, June 2000

Exports without crude oil and natural gas increased 13.2 per cent, up to NOK 17.9 billion in June from 15.8 billion in June last year. Imports increased by 3.8 per cent in June 2000.

The trade surplus for the first half of the year was NOK 99.2 billion, while the surplus for the first half of 1999 was significantly lower, NOK 23.1 billion. In the same two periods the export value of crude oil increased by 67.4 billion. Exports of other goods than crude oil and natural gas from the Norwegian Shelf increased by NOK 13.7 billion.

The crude oil price doubled from NOK 122 per barrel in June 1999 up to NOK 255 per barrel in June this year. The exported quantity the first half this year was 507 million barrels valued NOK 114.4 billion. The quantity the first half of 1999 was 464 million barrels and the second half 496 million barrels.

The exports without crude oil and natural gas increased 15.4 per cent, to NOK 102.9 billion. As prices of oil products increased as well this half year, the value of refined oil products ended 6.2 billion higher than in the first half of 1999. The increase from all other products from the Norwegian mainland totalled NOK 7.6 billion. Price increases for aluminium contributed to 4.5 billion more for metals. Fish and fish products came to 956 million more for this period than for the same period last year.

The growth for imports in these periods is NOK 7.1 billion. Prices of nickel mattes resulted in a 2.0 billion higher value for total imports of ore, and car imports increased by NOK 1.9 billion.

Seasonal adjusted imports figures for April to June show a 8.8 per cent increase compared with January to March. For exports excluding oil and gas, an increase of 7.4 per cent was computed.