5368.0 - International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia, Jul 2010 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 02/09/2010   
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COMMODITY PRICES ADJUSTMENT


PRICES ADJUSTMENT

International merchandise trade exports data (on a recorded trade basis) presented in tables 12-15 of this publication are based on information provided by exporters to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Customs and Border Protection). At the time of initial reporting to Customs and Border Protection the final prices may not be known for some commodities. New contract prices that have been recently negotiated, or are still being negotiated, for commodities like iron ore and coal may not be fully reflected in the Customs and Border Protection source data. Final prices are updated progressively in recorded trade data as exporters revise the information provided to Customs and Border Protection. It is not yet known how the recent move from annual to quarterly contracts for some exporters will impact on the reporting of information.

Balance of payments data in this publication have been adjusted for June and July 2010 to take into account additional information on the unit price of iron ore and coal exports. The adjustments for metal ores and minerals are $218m in June and $200m in July. The adjustments for coal, coke and briquettes are $345m in June and $145m in July.

In the unadjusted recorded trade series, the unit price of metal ores and minerals decreased 6% between June and July 2010. In the equivalent adjusted balance of payments series, the unit price of metal ores and minerals decreased 3%.

In the unadjusted recorded trade series, the unit price of coal, coke and briquettes decreased 11% between June and July 2010. In the equivalent adjusted balance of payments series, the unit price of coal, coke and briquettes decreased 5%.