EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: October 1997 TO October 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.- Oct.                             -149,768.1          -173,349.2

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.- Oct.                             -191,871.8          -217,322.3

January                                 -15,861.2           -18,308.4
February                                -17,087.3           -19,471.9
March                                   -19,113.6           -21,655.9
April                                   -20,357.6           -22,863.9
May                                     -21,535.0           -24,087.8
June                                    -19,277.1           -21,795.8
July                                    -19,706.0           -22,272.4
August                                  -20,726.2           -23,358.8
September (R)                           -19,316.2           -21,889.8
October                                 -18,891.5           -21,617.7
November                       
December                       
____________________________________________________________________

                                           Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                             -181,488.2          -209,936.8
Jan.- Oct.                             -152,435.3          -176,135.6

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.- Oct.                             -194,124.4          -219,683.6

January                                 -15,109.7           -17,466.5
February                                -13,543.1           -15,757.7
March                                   -15,865.2           -18,442.3
April                                   -18,957.0           -21,468.7
May                                     -17,339.0           -19,818.4
June                                    -19,931.7           -22,513.9

July                                    -24,608.7           -27,258.3
August                                  -22,649.6           -25,302.3
September (R)                           -23,037.1           -25,660.8
October                                 -23,083.4           -25,994.5
November                       
December                       
_____________________________________________________________________

                                         Exports
  Period                              F.a.s. value

                                   Seasonally Adjusted
1997                           
Jan.- Dec.                              689,182.4
Jan.- Oct.                              572,181.8

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.- Oct.                              566,928.5

January                                  58,537.9
February                                 57,156.8
March                                    58,098.8
April                                    55,990.1
May                                      55,474.2
June                                     55,664.8
July                                     54,790.5
August                                   55,175.2
September (R)                            56,944.4
October                                  59,095.9
November                       
December                       
____________________________________________________________________

                                Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                              689,182.4
Jan.- Oct.                              571,355.0

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.- Oct.                              565,074.8

January                                  55,349.6
February                                 55,235.9
March                                    62,328.9
April                                    56,869.2
May                                      56,660.9
June                                     57,081.2

July                                     51,676.3
August                                   53,234.5
September (R)                            55,634.4
October                                  61,003.9
November                       
December                       
_________________________________________________

                                                  Imports
  Period                            Customs value       C.i.f. value

                                            Seasonally Adjusted
1997                           
Jan.- Dec.                              870,670.7           899,119.2
Jan.- Oct.                              721,949.8           745,530.9

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.- Oct.                              758,800.4           784,250.9

January                                  74,399.1            76,846.3
February                                 74,244.1            76,628.7
March                                    77,212.5            79,754.8
April                                    76,347.7            78,854.0
May                                      77,009.1            79,561.9
June                                     74,941.9            77,460.6
July                                     74,496.5            77,062.9
August                                   75,901.3            78,533.9
September (R)                            76,260.7            78,834.2
October                                  77,987.5            80,713.6
November                       
December                       
____________________________________________________________________

                                         Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                              870,670.7           899,119.2
Jan.- Oct.                              723,790.3           747,490.6

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.- Oct.                              759,199.2           784,758.3

January                                  70,459.3            72,816.1
February                                 68,779.1            70,993.6
March                                    78,194.0            80,771.1
April                                    75,826.2            78,337.9
May                                      73,999.9            76,479.3
June                                     77,012.9            79,595.1

July                                     76,285.0            78,934.6
August                                   75,884.1            78,536.9
September (R)                            78,671.5            81,295.2
October                                  84,087.2            86,998.4

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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