External trade in goods, indices of volume and price, Q4 2000

Prices of petroleum, petroleum products and related materials including crude oil, have increased by as much as 78.4 per cent from 1999 to 2000.

The price index for exports of traditional goods shows an increase of 12.6 per cent from 1999 to 2000 whereas the import price index increased by 6 per cent.

Seasonal adjusted figures show a decline of 0.5 per cent in the export volume of goods excluding ships and oil platforms, from the third to the fourth quarter 2000. Exports of traditional goods increased by 0.9 per cent, which means that the exports of crude oil and natural gas have declined.

The import volume of metalliferous ores and metal scrap has declined by 36.6 per cent from the fourth quarter 1999 to the corresponding quarter 2000.

There was an increase in the Norwegian terms of trade of 22,5 per cent, as measured by the ratio between the export and import price indices for the fourth quarter of 1999 and 2000. For external trade in traditional goods there was an increase of 5.9 per cent.

Please see table below. For further tables, please see Monthly Bulletin of External Trade, tables 2, 5, 6 and 7: http://www.ssb.no/muh_en/

Tables:

• Table 1 External trade in commodities excl. ships and oil platforms. Indices of price and volume. 4th quarter 2000