The non-oil foreign trade in the UAE rose 11 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months to Dh540.5 billion ($147.2 billion), data showed on Sunday, hinting at a pick-up in economic activity on higher oil demand and Asian growth.

The Opec member's non-oil foreign trade was Dh486.4 billion in the January to September period a year ago, data from the UAE Federal Customs Authority showed.

Exports without crude jumped 39 per cent to Dh61.8 billion in the first nine months, compared to Dh44.4 billion a year earlier, while re-exports increased 19 per cent and imports 5 per cent.

'2011 export and re-export growth may be more modest relative to 2010 growth which is flattered by a low baseline effect from the global economic slowdown in 2009,' said Giyas Gokkent, group chief economist at National Bank of Abu Dhabi, adding he expected imports to rise in 2011 on economic recovery.

'I would assume automotives, electronics, precious metals and jewellery, and capital goods to remain amongst top trade categories.'

The authority does not provide figures for oil trade. Abu Dhabi accounts for almost all oil production of the world's third largest crude exporter. Dubai is a major trade hub in the Gulf region with a nearly 81 percent share of UAE non-oil trade.

In a Reuters poll last week, analysts forecast a 2.3 per cent economic growth this year and 3.6 per cent in 2011. In September, India, China, and the US were the key exporters to the UAE.

Re-exports - the bulk of the UAE trade economy - were led by India, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Qatar, Kuwait, Belgium and Saudi Arabia, making up Dh11.9 billion or 76 per cent of UAE re-exports.

Analysts expect higher exports and re-exports in 2011 due to recovering global oil demand stemming from Asia.

'Re-export growth is due to higher demand in the wider region, especially Saudi Arabia,' said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Riyadh-based Banque Saudi Fransi.

Diamonds topped the list of re-exports in September with Dh5.7 billion, followed by motor vehicles and telephone sets, while gold was the top imported and exported good.-Reuters