EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: May 1997 TO May 1998

In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal
adjustment and rounding. (R) - Revised.





                             Trade Balance
  Period                   Customs          C.I.F.
   
                             Seasonally Adjusted
1997                 
                     
Jan.- Dec.               -181,488.2      -209,936.8
Jan.- May                 -75,196.2       -86,845.1
January                   -16,677.0       -18,941.0
February                  -15,353.8       -17,603.5
March                     -13,302.8       -15,649.0
April                     -14,780.3       -17,162.8
May                       -15,082.4       -17,488.7
June                      -13,876.2       -16,215.6
July                      -14,594.2       -16,968.2
August                    -15,617.1       -18,012.4
September                 -15,518.8       -17,931.6
October                   -14,965.5       -17,376.3
November                  -15,694.0       -18,120.3
December                  -16,026.2       -18,467.4
                     
1998                

Jan.- May                 -94,194.6      -106,619.9
January                   -15,861.2       -18,308.4
February                  -17,087.3       -19,471.9
March                     -19,113.6       -21,655.9
April (R)                 -20,357.6       -22,863.9
May                       -21,774.8       -24,319.8
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
                                                    
1997                       Not Seasonally Adjusted
                     
Jan.- Dec.               -181,488.2      -209,936.8
Jan.- May                 -64,107.9       -75,542.6
January                   -16,761.3       -18,980.6
February                  -12,018.7       -14,108.6
March                      -9,485.6       -11,824.9
April                     -13,069.9       -15,445.6
May                       -12,772.3       -15,182.8
June                      -13,607.7       -15,947.0
July                      -19,987.1       -22,440.2
August                    -16,343.6       -18,723.8
September                 -19,360.8       -21,849.5
October                   -19,028.1       -21,632.5
November                  -13,966.8       -16,298.9
December                  -15,086.2       -17,502.3

1998                
                     
Jan.- May                 -81,084.2       -93,216.0
January                   -15,109.7       -17,466.5
February                  -13,543.1       -15,757.7
March                     -15,865.2       -18,442.3
April (R)                 -18,957.0       -21,468.7
May                       -17,609.2       -20,080.8
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
______________________________________________

                        Exports
 Period               F.a.s. value

                   Seasonally Adjusted
1997                 
                     
Jan.- Dec.                689,182.4
Jan.- May                 279,883.5
January                    53,221.0
February                   55,022.5
March                      57,505.0
April                      57,029.4
May                        57,105.7
June                       57,652.1
July                       58,495.6
August                     58,147.1
September                  58,486.1
October                    59,517.4
November                   58,151.3
December                   58,849.3
                     
1998                
                     
Jan.- May                 284,883.1
January                    58,537.9
February                   57,156.8
March                      58,098.8
April (R)                  55,990.1
May                        55,099.5
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
                  Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                     
Jan.- Dec.                689,182.4
Jan.- May                 281,863.2
January                    50,590.9
February                   53,152.6
March                      61,201.2
April                      58,180.1
May                        58,738.3
June                       58,048.6
July                       54,909.4
August                     56,661.9
September                  57,470.4
October                    62,401.5
November                   58,163.6
December                   59,663.8

1998                
                     
Jan.- May                 286,042.0
January                    55,349.6
February                   55,235.9
March                      62,328.9
April (R)                  56,869.2
May                        56,258.4
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
November            
December            
_______________________________

                                   Imports
  Period                Customs value    C.i.f. value
   
                            Seasonally Adjusted
1997                 
                     
Jan.- Dec.                870,670.7       899,119.2
Jan.- May                 355,079.7       366,728.5
January                    69,898.0        72,162.0
February                   70,376.2        72,626.0
March                      70,807.8        73,154.1
April                      71,809.6        74,192.2
May                        72,188.0        74,594.4
June                       71,528.3        73,867.7
July                       73,089.8        75,463.8
August                     73,764.2        76,159.4
September                  74,005.0        76,417.7
October                    74,482.9        76,893.7
November                   73,845.3        76,271.6
December                   74,875.5        77,316.7

1998                
                     
Jan.- May                 379,077.7       391,503.0
January                    74,399.1        76,846.3
February                   74,244.1        76,628.7
March                      77,212.5        79,754.8
April (R)                  76,347.7        78,854.0
May                        76,874.3        79,419.3
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
                           Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                     
Jan.- Dec.                870,670.7       899,119.2
Jan.- May                 345,971.2       357,405.8
January                    67,352.3        69,571.6
February                   65,171.4        67,261.3
March                      70,686.9        73,026.1
April                      71,250.0        73,625.7
May                        71,510.6        73,921.2
June                       71,656.3        73,995.6
July                       74,896.4        77,349.5
August                     73,005.5        75,385.6
September                  76,831.2        79,319.9
October                    81,429.7        84,034.1
November                   72,130.4        74,462.5
December                   74,750.0        77,166.1

1998                
                     
Jan.- May                 367,126.2       379,258.0
January                    70,459.3        72,816.1
February                   68,779.1        70,993.6
March                      78,194.0        80,771.1
April (R)                  75,826.2        78,337.9
May                        73,867.6        76,339.2
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             

CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or
         Richard M. Preuss (301-457-2311) Foreign Trade Division or see 
         our web site at "http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/"

NOTE:  For information on more detailed data available, please see
       record titled "MORE DETAILED FOREIGN TRADE DATA AVAILABLE." 



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