
U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES:  NOVEMBER 1995 


IMPORTANT:  This release contains sensitive economic data not to be 
            released before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 28, 1996.

            CB-96-27Press Copy
            FT-900 (95-12)

For information on goods contact: Bureau of the Census:
Haydn R. Mearkle(301) 457-2246 
Richard M. Preuss(301) 457-2311

For information on services contact: Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Media: Larry Moran(202) 606-2649 
Technical: Christopher Bach(202) 606-9545

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES December 1995

The Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the 
Department of Commerce, announced today that total December exports of 
$68.3 billion and imports of $75.1 billion resulted in a goods and 
services deficit of $6.8 billion, $0.1 billion more than the $6.7 billion 
of November, revised.  December exports were $0.7 billion more than 
November exports of $67.6 billion.  December imports were $0.8 billion
more than November imports of $74.3 billion.  

For 1995, exports of $783.7 billion and imports of $894.7 billion resulted 
in a goods and services deficit of $111.0 billion, $4.8 billion more than 
the 1994 deficit of $106.2 billion.  For goods, exports were $574.9 
billion and imports were $749.3 billion, resulting in a goods deficit of 
$174.5 billion.  For services, exports were $208.8 billion and imports
were $145.4 billion, resulting in a services surplus of $63.4 billion.

In December, the goods deficit increased $0.1 billion from November to 
$12.3 billion and the services surplus remained virtually unchanged at 
$5.5 billion.  Exports of goods increased to $50.5 billion from $49.6 
billion, and imports of goods increased to $62.7 billion from $61.8 
billion. Exports of services decreased to $17.9 billion from $18.0 
billion, and imports of services decreased to $12.4 billion from $12.5 
billion.

The November to December change in exports of goods reflected increases in 
capital goods of $0.5 billion (primarily civilian aircraft and oilfield
equipment); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.4 billion); 
industrial supplies and materials ($0.4 billion); consumer goods ($0.1 
billion); and foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.1 billion).  Other goods
decreased $0.6 billion.
  
The November to December change in imports of goods reflected increases in 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines of $0.8 billion (primarily new 
cars); consumer goods ($0.2 billion); capital goods ($0.1 billion); and 
other goods ($0.1 billion).  Industrial supplies and materials decreased 
$0.1 billion.  Foods, feeds, and beverages were virtually unchanged.

Note:  Total goods are reported on a balance of payments basis; commodity 
       and country detail for goods are on a Census basis.  Definitions 
       are explained in the notes starting on page 25 of this release.


For the three months ending in December, exports of goods and services, 
using a centered three-month moving average, were $67.6 billion, while 
imports of goods and services averaged $74.8 billion, resulting in an
average trade deficit of $7.2 billion.  For the three months ending in 
November, the average trade deficit was $7.7 billion, reflecting average 
exports of $67.3 billion and average imports of $75.0 billion.

Services exports decreased $0.1 billion from November to $17.9 billion in 
December, reflecting a decrease in travel.  Changes in other categories of 
services exports were small and offsetting.

Services imports decreased $0.2 billion from November to $12.4 billion in 
December, reflecting a decrease in other transportation.  Changes in other 
categories of services imports were small and offsetting.


Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details 

Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were $13.7 billion for December 
and imports were $11.4 billion, resulting in a surplus of $2.4 billion, 
$1.3 billion more than the November surplus of $1.1 billion.  December 
exports were $1.0 billion more than the $12.7 billion of November, while 
imports were $0.3 billion less than the $11.7 billion of November.   

The December figures showed surpluses in billions of dollars with 
Australia $0.7 (for November $0.6), Hong Kong $0.5 ($0.3), Korea $0.4 
(-$0.2), Egypt $0.3 ($0.2), Brazil $0.3 ($0.2), Argentina $0.3 ($0.2), 
and Western Europe $0.1 (-$0.9).  Deficits were recorded in billions of 
dollars with Japan -$3.5 (-$4.1),  Canada  -$2.1  (-$1.6), China -$2.0
(-$2.8), OPEC -$1.4  (-$1.2), Mexico  -$1.0 (-$1.7), Taiwan -$0.6 (-$1.0), 
and  Singapore -$0.2 (-$0.4).

Carry-over in December was $0.5 billion (1.0 percent) for exports and 
$0.3 billion (0.5 percent) for imports.  For November, revised export 
carry-over was virtually zero, revised down from $0.1 billion (0.2 
percent).  For November, revised import carry-over was $0.1 billion 
(0.2 percent), revised down from $0.4 billion (0.6 percent).


Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 1  International Trade in Goods and Services                     4

Exhibit 2  Goods and Services Three - Month Moving Averages              5

Exhibit 3  U.S. Services by Major Category--Exports                      6

Exhibit 4  U.S. Services by Major Category--Imports                      7

Exhibit 5  U.S. Trade in Goods                                           8

Exhibit 6  Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category    9

Exhibit 7  Exports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity           10

Exhibit 8  Imports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity           12

Exhibit 9  Petroleum and Non-Petroleum End-Use Category Totals          14

Exhibit 10  Exports and Imports of Goods by Principle End-Use
Category (Constant Dollars)                                             15

Exhibit 11  Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum and Non-
Petroleum End-Use Commodity Category Totals (Constant Dollars)          16

Not Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 12  U.S. Trade in Goods                                         17

Exhibit 13  Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category  18


Exhibit 14  Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods by Selected  
Countries and Areas - 1995                                              19

Exhibit 15  Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal SITC 
Commodity Groupings                                                     21

Exhibit 16  Exports, Imports, and Balance of Advanced 
Technology Products                                                     23

Exhibit 17  Imports of Energy - Related Petroleum Products,  
Including Crude Petroleum                                               24

Information on Goods and Services                                       25











SOURCE: Report FT900 (CB-96-27), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, DECEMBER 1995.  For more information, contact Haydn R. 
        Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Richard M. Preuss (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.