External trade in goods, indices of volume and price, Q3 2006

The export price of goods excluding ships and oil platforms have been increasing since the third quarter of 2003. The export prices of fuels contributed the most to the strong rise. Gas, natural and manufactured showed the largest increase, up 37.1 per cent compared with the third quarter in 2005. Among manufactured goods, export prices for non-ferrous metals and plastics in primary forms increased the most, 48.8 and 19.9 per cent.

In the third quarter of 2006, the export prices of goods excluding crude oil, natural gas, condensates, ships and oil platforms increased by 2.4 per cent compared with the second quarter in 2006. Through all the quarters in 2005 these prices were rising, and the increase from the third quarter in 2005 to the third quarter this year was 12.6 per cent.

Higher exports of manufactured goods

The export volume of goods excluding crude oil, natural gas, condensates, ships and oil platforms increased by 6.2 per cent from the third quarter of 2005 to the third quarter in 2006. The export volume was higher for machinery, of which power generating machinery, up 27.0 per cent, machinery for particular industries, up 23.8 per cent and electrical machinery, up 34.8 per cent. Adjusted for seasonality figures for export volume of goods excluding crude oil, natural gas, condensates, ships and oil platforms increased by 0.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2006 compared with the second quarter this year.

The unadjusted export volume of goods excluding crude oil, natural gas, condensates, ships and oil platforms decreased by 1.7 per cent from the second to the third quarter of 2006, while the decrease in the second quarter was 1.1 per cent.

Increased import prices

From the third quarter in 2005 to the third quarter in 2006, import prices of goods excluding ships and oil platforms increased by 4.6 per cent. The increase was considerable for crude materials, and the largest group metalliferous ores, showed an increase of 22.9 per cent.

Import prices of goods excluding ships and oil platforms increased by 3.1 per cent from the second quarter to the third quarter this year, and even then crude materials made a considerable contribution.

Increased imports of machinery

The import volume of goods excluding ships and oil platforms increased by 5.0 per cent in the third quarter of 2006 compared with the same quarter in 2005. The import volume increased for power generating machinery, up 35.1 per cent, machinery for special industries, up 28.4 per cent, data processing machinery/equipment 24.5 per cent and road vehicles 11.6 per cent

Adjusted for seasonality figures for import volume of goods excluding skips and oil platforms, show a decrease of 3.2 per cent higher import volume from the second quarter to the third quarter in 2006, while there was an increase in the second quarter by 3.9 per cent.