SYDNEY, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Australian export values increased 4.4 percent in the final three months of 2018, largely due to Chinese demand for iron ore, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed on Thursday.
Prices of Australian metal ores and metal scrap lifted 9 percent during the three month period, while the value of gas exports rose 8.6 percent.
The latest figures follow an overall increase of 15.7 percent in the nation's total export price index for the year through to December.
During that year, the value of gas exports rocketed 54.6 percent while the price of Australian metal ores and scrap increased 17.8 percent.
The figures represent an ongoing overseas demand for Australian resources, particularly premium iron ore from Western Australia of which China is the largest consumer.
Meanwhile, the price of imports in the final quarter of 2018 rose by 0.5 percent, boosted by a depreciating local currency.
