Fresh evidence of the strength of the economy in the final months of the year is contained in the latest trade figures. The trade surplus of exports over imports climbed 22 per cent in August to £1.6 billion when compared to August 1998, and preliminary figures showing a 21 per cent jump for September, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said yesterday.

The data will add weight to the view that economic growth still remains strong. The CSO also released separate retail sales estimates for October, showing that the value of the index rose by 12 per cent compared to the corresponding month the previous year.

The CSO said the value of merchandise exports in August 1999, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, was £4.62 billion, with imports at £3 billion, giving a surplus of £1.62 billion.

Preliminary figures for September showed exports touching £4.56 billion, imports at £3.02 billion, and a surplus of £1.54 billion.

Comparing the January to August 1999 figures with the corresponding period in 1998, the CSO said exports were up 13 per cent to £32.81 billion.

Exports of telecommunications equipment jumped 54 per cent to £1.7 billion; computer equipment exports were up 16 per cent to £7.27 billion; organic chemicals' shipments were 13 per cent up to £5.56 billion.

Imports of telecommunications equipment jumped 46 per cent to £815 million, the CSO said.

Exports to the United States rose 31 per cent compared to the January-August period in 1998, to £5.14 billion; exports to Britain also climbed, by 10 per cent, to £6.39 billion.

There were significant increases in exports to the Netherlands (23 per cent); France (15 per cent); and Malaysia (248 per cent). Exports to Germany showed a decline of 11 per cent; exports to South Korea also fell, by 33 per cent.

The CSO said it estimated the value of retail sales for October to have risen by 12 per cent, while the volume of such sales - excluding price effects - rose by almost 10 per cent.

The office said it was moving to a new method of calculating the retail sales index, and that September was the latest month for which detailed sectoral figures were available.

When comparing the July to September quartile with the previous quartile (April to June) the CSO notes the largest volume increase was a 6.8 per cent jump in electrical goods. The largest decrease was in bars (down 1.4 per cent), and food, beverages and tobacco (also down 1.4 per cent).