OVERSEAS TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 20, 24 January 1936, Page 12

OVERSEAS TRADE

AUSTRALIAN IMPROVEMENT

Oversea trade statistics for the six months to December 31—the first half of the current financial year—show a noticeable improvement in the trade position of Australia. The favourable trade balance in this period was £11,224,000 sterling, compared with £4,819,000 in the first half of the financial year 1934-35. The Federal Treasurer (Mr. Casey) said recently that in the six months exports, including gold, had amounted to £54,027,000 sterling, compared with £42,429,000 sterling in the July to December period of 1934-35. Imports in the six months just ended had amounted in value to £42,803,000 sterling, compared with £37,610,000 in the similar period of 1934-35. Mr. Casey added that the outlook for wheat and wool appeared to be favourable, and the estimate made in the Budeet speech of/an excess over last year of from £6,000,000 to £8,000,000 for exports of wool seemed likely to be realised. The movement of export prices also showed a decided improvement. Taking 1928 as equal to 1000, export prices had moved as follows: — Month. 1934-35. 1935-36. July 620 656 August 627 664 September 581 714 October 564 749 November 557 741