EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: November 1997 TO November 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.- Nov.                            -165,462.1            -191,469.4

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.- Nov.                            -211,196.1            -239,296.2

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                              -19,316.2             -21,889.8
October (R)                            -18,409.6             -21,122.2
November                               -19,806.1             -22,469.3
December                    
___________________________                                            
                                          Not  Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                            -181,488.2            -209,936.8
Jan.- Nov.                            -166,402.0            -192,434.5

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.- Nov.                            -213,842.6            -242,028.1

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                              -23,037.1             -25,660.8
October (R)                            -22,609.9             -25,507.2
November                               -20,191.6             -22,831.9
December                    
_____________________________________________________________________


                                        Exports
  Period                              F.a.s. value
 
                                  Seasonally Adjusted
1997                        
Jan.- Dec.                             689,182.4
Jan.- Nov.                             630,333.1

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.- Nov.                             625,777.3

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                               56,944.4
October (R)                             59,540.8
November                                58,403.9
December                    
______________________________________________________________________

                               Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                             689,182.4
Jan.- Nov.                             629,518.6

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.- Nov.                             623,477.0

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                               55,634.4
October (R)                             61,450.9
November                                57,955.2
December                    
________________________________________________

                                                Imports
  Period                           Customs value          C.i.f. value

1997                        
Jan.- Dec.                             870,670.7             899,119.2
Jan.- Nov.                             795,795.2             821,802.5

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.- Nov.                             836,973.4             865,073.5

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                               76,260.7              78,834.2
October (R)                             77,950.4              80,663.0
November                                78,210.1              80,873.2
December                    
______________________________________________________________________

                                          Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                             870,670.7             899,119.2
Jan.- Nov.                             795,920.7             821,953.1

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.- Nov.                             837,319.6             865,505.1

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                               78,671.5              81,295.2
October (R)                             84,060.8              86,958.0
November                                78,146.8              80,787.2
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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