BRITISH TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 91, 19 April 1939, Page 9

BRITISH TRADE

FALL IN EXPORTS AND IMPORTS

FIRST QUARTER OF 1939

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, April 17

United Kingdom exports in March were valued at £41,634,577, compared with. £42,155,373 a year ago. Imports amounted to £77,976,374, against £84,853,649 in 1938, and re-exports to £4,923,288, against £5,468,269.

figures for the first quarter of the year are:—lmports, £218,543,318, which is a decrease of £26,741,727 over the same period last year and of £11,399,275 over the same period of 1937; exports, £119,129,085, which is a decrease of £1,740,854 over last year, and of £1,991,531 over 1937. Re* exports, £18,284,654, which is" a decrease of £1,507,834 over last year and of £4,468,177 over 1937.

The fall of £1,740,854 in exports for the first quarter of 1939 compared with the same period last year was entirely accounted for by manufactured goods, which declined by £2,313,741. This, however, was partly offset by an increase in food exports of drink and tobacco.

The largest single item to show a decrease was iron and steel — (£2,959,674)— and next came cotton and yarn—(£1,585,373). Coal showed a fall of £409,708. though there was an increase of £959,876 compared with 1937.

Among manufactured goods showing an increase was vehicles, including locomotives, ships, and aircraft —a rise of £2,941,447 against the first three months of 1938.