EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE), IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F. VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: March 1997 TO March 1998 In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal adjustment and rounding. (R) - Revised. Period Trade balance Customs C.I.F. Seasonally Adjusted 1997 Jan.- Dec. -181,871.6 -210,322.4 Jan.- Mar. -45,500.6 -52,315.8 January -17,368.7 -19,621.9 February -15,680.0 -17,914.3 March -12,451.8 -14,779.6 April -13,830.3 -16,206.9 May -14,489.6 -16,904.8 June -13,514.6 -15,875.9 July -15,608.8 -17,986.8 August -15,292.0 -17,664.4 September -17,165.7 -19,609.5 October -15,215.7 -17,646.3 November -14,844.6 -17,232.2 December -16,409.7 -18,879.7 1998 Jan.- Mar. -53,469.8 -60,835.5 January -17,131.5 -19,579.7 February (R) -17,524.9 -19,897.0 March -18,813.4 -21,358.8 April May June July August September October November December Not Seasonally Adjusted 1997 Jan.- Dec. -181,871.6 -210,322.4 Jan.- Mar. -37,722.4 -44,342.7 January -16,359.0 -18,564.1 February -11,993.5 -14,080.2 March -9,370.0 -11,698.3 April -12,837.3 -15,202.6 May -12,759.3 -15,165.1 June -13,730.1 -16,088.5 July -20,115.8 -22,574.1 August -16,296.8 -18,677.1 September -19,646.3 -22,137.7 October -19,350.1 -21,966.4 November -13,854.7 -16,182.5 December -15,558.7 -17,985.8 1998 Jan.- Mar. -44,817.4 -51,970.2 January -15,109.7 -17,466.5 February (R) -13,543.1 -15,757.7 March -16,164.6 -18,746.0 April May June July August September October November December _________________________________________ Period Exports F.a.s. value Seasonally Adjusted 1997 Jan.- Dec. 688,697.3 Jan.- Mar. 164,552.0 January 52,175.2 February 54,296.0 March 58,080.8 April 57,797.0 May 57,804.3 June 58,173.6 July 57,714.1 August 58,307.9 September 57,440.4 October 59,428.7 November 58,186.8 December 59,292.5 1998 Jan.- Mar. 172,062.9 January 57,315.1 February (R) 56,345.4 March 58,402.4 April May June July August September October November December Not Seasonally Adjusted 1997 Jan.- Dec. 688,697.3 Jan.- Mar. 165,021.8 January 50,544.2 February 53,202.1 March 61,275.4 April 58,340.6 May 58,719.1 June 58,036.7 July 54,829.0 August 56,704.7 September 57,221.5 October 62,158.5 November 58,199.2 December 59,466.3 1998 Jan.- Mar. 172,691.0 January 55,349.6 February (R) 55,235.9 March 62,105.5 April May June July August September October November December ______________________________________ Imports Customs C.i.f. Period Value Value Seasonally Adjusted 1997 Jan.- Dec. 870,568.8 899,019.7 Jan.- Mar. 210,052.6 216,867.8 January 69,543.9 71,797.1 February 69,976.0 72,210.3 March 70,532.6 72,860.4 April 71,627.3 74,003.9 May 72,293.9 74,709.2 June 71,688.2 74,049.5 July 73,322.9 75,700.9 August 73,599.9 75,972.4 September 74,606.1 77,049.9 October 74,644.4 77,075.0 November 73,031.4 75,418.9 December 75,702.2 78,172.2 1998 Jan.- Mar. 225,532.6 232,898.4 January 74,446.6 76,894.9 February (R) 73,870.3 76,242.3 March 77,215.8 79,761.2 April May June July August September October November December Not Seasonally Adjusted 1997 Jan.- Dec. 870,568.8 899,019.7 Jan.- Mar. 202,744.2 209,364.5 January 66,903.2 69,108.3 February 65,195.6 67,282.4 March 70,645.4 72,973.8 April 71,177.9 73,543.1 May 71,478.4 73,884.1 June 71,766.8 74,125.2 July 74,944.8 77,403.0 August 73,001.5 75,381.8 September 76,867.7 79,359.2 October 81,508.6 84,124.8 November 72,053.9 74,381.7 December 75,025.1 77,452.1 1998 Jan.- Mar. 217,508.4 224,661.2 January 70,459.3 72,816.1 February (R) 68,779.1 70,993.6 March 78,270.0 80,851.5 April May 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."