
This release contains sensitive economic
data not to be released before 8:30 a.m. Friday,
February 18, 2000     

CB-00-28  Press Copy 
FT-900 (99-12)

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

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

          U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
                            December 1999

Goods and Services

The Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the
Department of Commerce, announced today that total December exports of
$85.2 billion and imports of $110.7 billion resulted in a goods and services
deficit of $25.5 billion, $1.6 billion less than the deficit of $27.1 billion
in November, revised.  December exports were $2.7 billion more than November
exports of $82.5 billion.  December imports were $1.1 billion more than
November imports of $109.6 billion.  

In December, the goods deficit decreased $1.4 billion from November to $31.5
billion, and the services surplus increased $0.2 billion to $5.9 billion.
Exports of goods increased to $61.7 billion from $59.2 billion, and imports
of goods increased to $93.2 billion from $92.1 billion.  Exports of services
increased to $23.4 billion from $23.3 billion, and imports of services of
$17.5 billion were virtually unchanged.

Goods
     
The November to  December  change  in  exports  of goods  reflected
increases in  capital goods  of  $2.1 billion  (primarily civilian aircraft); automotive
vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.4 billion); consumer goods ($0.3 billion);
and  foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.1 billion). A decrease occurred in
industrial supplies and materials ($0.1 billion).  Other goods were virtually
unchanged.
 
The November to December change in imports of goods reflected increases in
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines of $0.5 billion (primarily passenger
cars); industrial supplies and materials ($0.3 billion); consumer goods
($0.2 billion); capital goods ($0.2 billion); and foods, feeds, and beverages
($0.1 billion).  A decrease occurred in other goods ($0.1 billion). 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 26 of this release.

Services
     
Services exports increased $0.1 billion from November to December.  The
increase was mostly accounted for by a small increase in other private
services; this category includes services such as business, professional,
and technical services, financial services, and education services.
Services imports in December were virtually the same as in November.  Small
decreases in several categories of services imports were nearly offset by
small increases in others.

Goods and Services Moving Average 

For the three months ending in December, exports of goods and services
averaged $83.3 billion, while imports of goods and services averaged $109.4
billion, resulting in an average trade deficit of $26.1 billion.  For the
three months ending in November, the average trade deficit was $25.6  billion,
reflecting average exports of $82.2 billion and average imports of $107.9
billion.

Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details 

The December figures showed surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Australia
$0.5 (for November $0.8), Hong Kong $0.3 ($0.2), Egypt $0.2 ($0.2), Argentina
$0.2 ($0.2), and Brazil $0.0 ($0.2).  Deficits were recorded, in billions of
dollars, with Japan -$7.0 (-$6.4), China -$5.6 (-$6.5), Western Europe -$3.9
(-$5.5), Canada -$3.4 (-$3.0), Taiwan -$1.2 (-$1.6),  OPEC  -$1.2  (-$2.8),
Mexico -$0.9 (-$1.7), Korea -$0.8 (-$1.2), and Singapore -$0.1 (-$0.3).

Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were $20.4 billion in December and
imports were $17.1 billion, resulting in a surplus of $3.3 billion.  December
exports were $4.1 billion more than the $16.2 billion in November, while
imports were $0.2 billion more than the $16.8 billion in November.

Revisions
     
Goods carry-over in December was $1.0 billion (1.6 percent) for exports and
$1.1 billion (1.2 percent) for imports.  For November, revised export carry-
over was $0.1 billion (0.2 percent), revised down from $1.0 billion (1.6
percent).  For November, revised import carry-over was $0.4 billion (0.4
percent), revised down from $1.3 billion (1.4 percent).

Services exports for November were virtually unrevised at $23.3 billion.
Services imports for November were revised up $0.1 billion to $17.6
billion.  The revision was primarily attributable to other transportation
and reflects the incorporation of newly available source data.
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
         Scheduled Release Dates are Located on Page 29
                                
                                
                                
                                





                    Annual Summary for 1999
                                


Goods and Services

For 1999, exports of $958.5 billion and imports of $1,229.8 billion resulted
in a goods and services deficit of $271.3 billion, $107.0 billion more than
the 1998 deficit of $164.3 billion.  For goods, exports were $683.0 billion
and imports were $1,030.2 billion, resulting in a goods deficit of $347.1
billion, $100.2 billion more than the 1998 deficit of $246.9 billion.  For
services, exports were $275.5 billion and imports were $199.7 billion,
resulting in a services surplus of $75.8 billion, $6.8 billion less than the
1998 surplus of $82.7 billion.

Goods (census basis)

For 1999, exports of goods were up $12.9 billion from 1998.  Increases
occurred in capital goods of $11.0 billion (primarily semiconductors and
electrical apparatus); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($1.5 billion);
other goods ($1.4 billion); and consumer goods ($1.4 billion).  Decreases
occurred in industrial supplies and materials ($1.3 billion) and foods, feeds,
and beverages ($1.1 billion).

For 1999, imports of goods were up $113.1 billion from 1998.  Increases
occurred in automotive vehicles, parts, and engines of $30.5 billion
(primarily passenger cars and trucks and buses); capital goods ($27.3
billion); consumer goods ($23.1 billion); industrial supplies and materials
($21.4 billion); other goods ($8.5 billion); and foods, feeds, and beverages
($2.3 billion).

Services

For 1999, exports of services were up $11.8 billion from 1998.  Increases
occurred in other private services ($6.5 billion), mostly business,
professional, and technical services and financial services; travel ($2.4
billion); other transportation ($1.8 billion); passenger fares ($1.0 billion);
and royalties and license fees ($0.6 billion).  Transfers under U.S. military
sales contracts decreased $0.6 billion.  U.S. Government miscellaneous
services were virtually unchanged.

For 1999, imports of services were up $18.6 billion from 1998.  Increases
occurred in all categories: Other private services ($5.0 billion), mostly
affiliated services and business, professional, and technical services;
travel ($4.6 billion); other transportation ($4.1 billion); direct defense
expenditures ($2.1 billion); passenger fares ($1.6 billion); royalties and
license fees ($1.1 billion); and U.S. Government miscellaneous services
($0.1 billion).

For detailed descriptions of the types of transactions included in each of
the services categories, see "Information on Goods and Services" starting on
page 26 of this release.



               

Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 1 International Trade in Goods and Services.......... . . . . . 4

Exhibit 2  Goods and Services Centered 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 Principal 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  ......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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

Exhibit 18  Exports and Imports of Motor Vehicles and Parts By
            Selected Countries.........................................25

Information on Goods and Services......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

SOURCE: Report FT900 (CB-00-28), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, December 1999.  For more information, contact Haydn R. 
        Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), Foreign 
        Trade Division.           
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