MARCH KEY FIGURES

		Jan 2014	Feb 2014	Mar 2014	Feb 14 to Mar 14
		$m	$m	$m	% change
BALANCE ON GOODS AND SERVICES
	Trend estimates	629	931	1 174	26
	Seasonally adjusted	1 122	1 257	731	-42
CREDITS (Exports of goods and services)
	Trend estimates	28 827	29 195	29 511	1
	Seasonally adjusted	29 505	29 580	29 033	-2
DEBITS (Imports of goods and services)
	Trend estimates	28 198	28 264	28 337	-
	Seasonally adjusted	28 383	28 323	28 302	-
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

Balance on Goods and Services

MARCH KEY POINTS


BALANCE ON GOODS AND SERVICES

• In trend terms, the balance on goods and services was a surplus of $1,174m in March 2014, an increase of $243m (26%) on the surplus in February 2014.
• In seasonally adjusted terms, the balance on goods and services was a surplus of $731m in March 2014, a decrease of $526m (42%) on the surplus in February 2014.

CREDITS (EXPORTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES)

• In seasonally adjusted terms, goods and services credits fell $547m (2%) to $29,033m. Non-rural goods fell $578m (3%) and non-monetary gold fell $56m (4%). Rural goods rose $47m (1%) and net exports of goods under merchanting rose $1m (7%). Services credits rose $40m (1%).

DEBITS (IMPORTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES)

• In seasonally adjusted terms, goods and services debits fell $21m to $28,302m. Capital goods fell $119m (2%), consumption goods fell $48m (1%) and non-monetary gold fell $41m (12%). Intermediate and other merchandise goods rose $224m (2%). Services debits fell $36m (1%).

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE	Release Date
April 2014	5 June 2014
May 2014	2 July 2014
June 2014	5 August 2014
July 2014	4 September 2014
August 2014	2 October 2014
September 2014	4 November 2014

REVISIONS

See the Revisions section for details.


CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

Changes in this issue:

• Change to country label
• Ongoing improvement to seasonal adjustment of the coal, coke and briquettes goods credits series.

See the Changes in this issue section for details.


VALUE ADJUSTMENTS

Adjustments have been made to the value of the 'metal ores and minerals' and 'capital goods n.e.s.' components in the balance of payments series.

See the Value adjustments section for details.


RELATED RELEASES

TRADE IN SERVICES DATA CUBES

The data cubes International Trade in Services by Country, by State and by Detailed Services Category, Calendar Year, 2013 (cat no. 5368.0.55.004) will be released on 20 May 2014 and will be accessible on the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AUSTRALIAN EXPORTERS

The publication Characteristics of Australian Exporters, 2012-13 (cat. no. 5368.0.55.006) will be released on 29 May 2014 and will be accessible on the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>. This publication examines the number and characteristics of Australia's exporters. Estimates of exporters of merchandise trade are compiled from data sourced from the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and from the Australian Taxation Office's Australian Business Register. Estimates of exporters of services are compiled largely from the ABS Survey of International Trade in Services.


INQUIRIES

For further information contact Val Tot on Canberra (02) 6252 5540 for Goods, and Lauren Binns on Hobart (03) 6222 5926 for Services.