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 1998 TO May 1999

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
1998                     
Jan.- Dec.                          -229,758.4             -260,507.6
Jan.- May                            -92,291.1             -104,679.5

January                              -15,923.6              -18,372.9
February                             -16,470.0              -18,859.3
March                                -18,831.2              -21,345.0
April                                -19,875.1              -22,362.6
May                                  -21,191.2              -23,739.6
June                                 -19,141.1              -21,666.0

July                                 -19,731.5              -22,311.0
August                               -20,272.2              -22,931.1
September                            -20,116.2              -22,715.7
October                              -19,190.7              -21,893.2
November                             -19,409.5              -22,072.6
December                             -19,606.0              -22,238.4
                         
1999                
Jan.- May                           -121,452.6             -134,661.1

January                              -22,225.1              -24,812.1
February                             -23,847.5              -26,482.6
March                                -24,416.3              -27,027.9
April (R)                            -24,068.9              -26,717.6
May                                  -26,894.8              -29,620.9
June                     

July                     
August                   
September                
October                  
November                 
December                 
_____________________________________________________________________

                                        Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                          -229,758.4             -260,507.6
Jan.- May                            -80,405.6              -92,528.1

January                              -15,052.1              -17,407.3
February                             -13,160.0              -15,371.4
March                                -15,798.8              -18,371.0
April                                -19,068.9              -21,573.3
May                                  -17,325.7              -19,805.1
June                                 -19,923.9              -22,509.3

July                                 -24,759.8              -27,417.0
August                               -22,593.6              -25,265.8
September                            -22,807.1              -25,432.1
October                              -22,398.5              -25,278.5
November                             -19,625.0              -22,256.7
December                             -17,244.9              -19,820.0

1999                
Jan.- May                           -111,183.3             -124,133.4

January                              -19,475.1              -21,887.3
February                             -20,665.8              -23,111.2
March                                -23,704.1              -26,449.2
April (R)                            -22,701.5              -25,355.8
May                                  -24,636.8              -27,329.8
June                     

July                     
August                   
September                
October                  
November                 
December                 
__________________________________________________________________



                                      Exports
         Period                     F.a.s. value

                                 Seasonally Adjusted
1998                     
Jan.- Dec.                           682,137.7
Jan.- May                            284,594.5

January                               58,384.9
February                              57,319.8
March                                 57,292.4
April                                 55,989.9
May                                   55,607.5
June                                  55,919.7

July                                  55,136.9
August                                55,943.1
September                             56,418.5
October                               58,400.7
November                              58,533.4
December                              57,190.8
                         
1999                
Jan.- May                            279,396.5

January                               56,216.1
February                              55,816.2
March                                 55,363.6
April (R)                             56,263.0
May                                   55,737.7
June                     

July                     
August                   
September                
October                  
November                 
December                 
______________________________________________

                              Not  Seasonally  Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                           682,137.7
Jan.- May                            286,049.1

January                               55,172.0
February                              55,233.6
March                                 62,296.8
April                                 56,674.6
May                                   56,672.2
June                                  56,994.0

July                                  51,577.5
August                                53,420.1
September                             55,627.2
October                               61,313.0
November                              58,394.8
December                              58,762.2

1999                
Jan.- May                            279,755.6

January                               52,382.9
February                              53,442.9
March                                 60,622.3
April (R)                             57,250.0
May                                   56,057.5
June                     

July                     
August                   
September                
October                  
November                 
December                 
_______________________________________________


                                                 Imports
         Period                   Customs value          C.i.f. value
                                            Seasonally Adjusted
1998                     
Jan.- Dec.                           911,896.1              942,645.3
Jan.- May                            376,885.6              389,273.9

January                               74,308.5               76,757.8
February                              73,789.8               76,179.1
March                                 76,123.6               78,637.4
April                                 75,865.0               78,352.5
May                                   76,798.7               79,347.1
June                                  75,060.8               77,585.7

July                                  74,868.4               77,447.9
August                                76,215.3               78,874.3
September                             76,534.7               79,134.2
October                               77,591.5               80,294.0
November                              77,943.0               80,606.0
December                              76,796.8               79,429.3

1999                
Jan.- May                            400,849.1              414,057.7

January                               78,441.2               81,028.1
February                              79,663.7               82,298.8
March                                 79,779.9               82,391.6
April (R)                             80,331.9               82,980.6
May                                   82,632.5               85,358.6
June                     

July                     
August                   
September                
October                  
November                 
December                 
_____________________________________________________________________

                                          Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                           911,896.1              942,645.3
Jan.- May                            366,454.7              378,577.2

January                               70,224.0               72,579.3
February                              68,393.7               70,605.0
March                                 78,095.6               80,667.7
April                                 75,743.5               78,247.9
May                                   73,997.9               76,477.3
June                                  76,917.9               79,503.3

July                                  76,337.2               78,994.5
August                                76,013.6               78,685.9
September                             78,434.3               81,059.3
October                               83,711.5               86,591.5
November                              78,019.7               80,651.5
December                              76,007.1               78,582.2

1999                
Jan.- May                            390,938.9              403,889.0

January                               71,858.0               74,270.2
February                              74,108.7               76,554.1
March                                 84,326.3               87,071.4
April (R)                             79,951.6               82,605.9
May                                   80,694.3               83,387.4
June                     

July
August
September
October
November
December


CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or
         Nick Orsini (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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