
Part B: NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED

Exhibit 12.  U. S. TRADE IN GOODS

(In millions of dollars.  Details may not equal totals due to 
rounding.  (R) Revised.)


                   Balance

                    Total
                   Balance         Total
                 of Payments      Census
    Period          Basis          Basis

1996                

Jan.- Dec.           -191,170       -170,214
Jan.- Mar.            -36,286        -32,021
January               -15,112        -14,142
February              -10,646         -9,468
March                 -10,529         -8,412
April                 -15,248        -12,792
May                   -15,874        -13,498
June                  -14,131        -12,375

July                  -21,948        -20,084
August                -18,573        -16,450
September             -19,326        -17,710
October               -19,391        -18,010
November              -14,567        -13,000
December              -15,826        -14,274

1997                

Jan.- Dec.           -198,975       -181,872
Jan.- Mar.            -42,065        -37,722
January               -17,158        -16,359
February              -13,093        -11,993
March                 -11,814         -9,370
April                 -14,553        -12,837
May                   -14,651        -12,759
June                  -15,478        -13,730

July                  -21,374        -20,116
August                -17,582        -16,297
September             -21,037        -19,646
October               -20,632        -19,350
November              -14,751        -13,855
December              -16,851        -15,559

1998                

Jan.- Mar.            -48,414        -44,817
January               -16,306        -15,110
February (R)          -14,560        -13,543
March                 -17,548        -16,165
April                          
May                            
June                           

July                           
August                         
September                      
October                        
November                       
December                       

February data as published last month :
                      -14,582        -13,555
________________________________________________

                        Exports

                    Total
                   Balance                        Total
                 of Payments        Net          Census
    Period          Basis       Adjustments       Basis

1996                

Jan.- Dec.            612,069        -13,006        625,075
Jan.- Mar.            151,442         -2,390        153,832
January                47,072           -695         47,767
February               50,322           -791         51,112
March                  54,048           -904         54,952
April                  51,029           -843         51,872
May                    52,230         -1,130         53,359
June                   50,939           -882         51,821

July                   46,158         -1,440         47,598
August                 50,223         -1,352         51,575
September              49,289         -1,309         50,598
October                55,042         -1,065         56,107
November               53,737         -1,279         55,016
December               51,980         -1,316         53,295

1997                

Jan.- Dec.            678,150        -10,547        688,697
Jan.- Mar.            162,812         -2,210        165,022
January                49,993           -551         50,544
February               52,531           -671         53,202
March                  60,288           -988         61,275
April                  57,644           -697         58,341
May                    57,724           -995         58,719
June                   57,180           -857         58,037

July                   53,798         -1,031         54,829
August                 55,661         -1,044         56,705
September              56,089         -1,133         57,221
October                61,118         -1,040         62,158
November               57,536           -663         58,199
December               58,588           -878         59,466

1998                

Jan.- Mar.            170,383         -2,308        172,691
January                54,720           -629         55,350
February (R)           54,434           -802         55,236
March                  61,229           -877         62,105
April                                         
May                                           
June                                          

July                                          
August                                        
September                                     
October                                       
November                                      
December                                      

February data as published last month :
                       54,491           -810         55,300
________________________________________________

                        Imports

                    Total
                   Balance                        Total
                 of Payments        Net          Census
    Period          Basis       Adjustments       Basis

1996                

Jan.- Dec.            803,239          7,950        795,289
Jan.- Mar.            187,729          1,875        185,854
January                62,184            275         61,910
February               60,968            388         60,580
March                  64,577          1,213         63,364
April                  66,277          1,613         64,664
May                    68,104          1,247         66,857
June                   65,070            874         64,196

July                   68,107            425         67,682
August                 68,795            770         68,025
September              68,616            307         68,309
October                74,433            315         74,118
November               68,304            289         68,016
December               67,805            235         67,570

1997                

Jan.- Dec.            877,125          6,556        870,569
Jan.- Mar.            204,876          2,132        202,744
January                67,150            247         66,903
February               65,624            429         65,196
March                  72,102          1,456         70,645
April                  72,197          1,019         71,178
May                    72,375            897         71,478
June                   72,658            891         71,767

July                   75,172            227         74,945
August                 73,243            242         73,001
September              77,126            259         76,868
October                81,750            242         81,509
November               72,288            234         72,054
December               75,439            414         75,025

1998                

Jan.- Mar.            218,797          1,288        217,508
January                71,027            567         70,459
February (R)           68,993            214         68,779
March                  78,776            506         78,270
April                                         
May                                           
June                                          

July                                          
August                                        
September                                     
October                                       
November                                      
December                                      

February data as published last month :
                       69,072            217         68,855

NOTE: See INFORMATION ON GOODS AND SERVICES for details concerning 
      what is included in the Net Adjustments.

SOURCE: Report FT900 (CB-98-85), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, MARCH 1998.  For more information, contact Haydn R. 
        Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Richard M. Preuss (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.