March imports surge 26%

The total value of merchandise imports rose 26% year-on-year to MOP12.98 billion in March, according to data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). Imports of mobile phones surged by 110%, while gold jewellery increased by 36%. In contrast, imports of food and beverages fell by 13.4% during the same period. Export value also grew by 24% year-on-year, resulting in a merchandise trade deficit of MOP11.6 billion for the month. For the first quarter of 2026, total import value increased by 25.1% year-on-year to MOP37.26 billion. Gold jewellery recorded a sharp rise of 53.5%, while food and beverages declined by 5.9%.