U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
NEWS
U.S. Department of Commerce ? Washington, DC 20230


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8:30 A.M. EST THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2008

For information on goods contact:
For information on services contact:
U.S. Census Bureau:
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Nick Orsini
301-763-6959
Technical:  Christopher Bach
202-606-9545
Maria Iseman
301-763-2311
Media:       Ralph Stewart
202-606-2649



CB08-178, BEA08-53, FT-900 (08-10)

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
October 2008




Goods and Services

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of 
Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, 
announced today that total October exports of $151.7 billion 
and imports of $208.9 billion resulted in a goods and 
services deficit of $57.2 billion, up from $56.6 billion in 
September, revised.  October exports were $3.4 billion less 
than September exports of $155.1 billion.  October imports 
were $2.7 billion less than September imports of $211.6 
billion.

In October, the goods deficit increased $0.3 billion 
from September to $69.8 billion, and the services surplus 
decreased $0.4 billion to $12.6 billion.  Exports of goods 
decreased $3.0 billion to $104.8 billion, and imports of 
goods decreased $2.7 billion to $174.6 billion.  Exports of 
services decreased $0.3 billion to $46.9 billion, and imports 
of services were virtually unchanged at $34.3 billion.

In October 2008, the goods and services deficit 
increased $0.9 billion from October 2007.  Exports were up 
$7.6 billion, or 5.3 percent, and imports were up $8.5 billion, 
or 4.2 percent.

Goods

The September to October change in exports of goods 
reflected  decreases  in  industrial   supplies   and   materials 





($1.4 billion); foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.8 billion); 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.2 billion); 
consumer goods ($0.2 billion); capital goods ($0.1 billion); 
and other goods ($0.1 billion).
 
	The September to October change in imports of goods 
reflected decreases in capital goods ($1.4 billion); 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.9 billion); other 
goods ($0.2 billion); and industrial supplies and materials 
($0.1 billion).  Increases occurred in consumer goods ($0.5 
billion) and foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.1 billion). 
 
The October 2007 to October 2008 change in exports of 
goods reflected increases in industrial supplies and materials 
($4.0 billion); consumer goods ($0.8 billion); foods, feeds, and 
beverages ($0.5 billion); and other goods ($0.1 billion).  
Decreases occurred in capital goods ($1.0 billion) and 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.4 billion). 

The October 2007 to October 2008 change in imports of 
goods reflected increases in industrial supplies and materials 
($10.0 billion); foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.8 billion); 
consumer goods ($0.7 billion); and other goods ($0.2 billion). 
Decreases occurred in automotive vehicles, parts, and engines 
($4.6 billion) and capital goods ($0.4 billion). 

Services

	Services exports decreased $0.3 billion from September to 
October.  The decrease was more than accounted for by 
decreases in travel, other transportation (which includes 
freight and port services), and other private services (which 
includes items such as business, professional, and technical 
services, insurance services, and financial services).  An 
increase in transfers under U.S. military sales contracts was 
partly offsetting.  Changes in other categories of services 
exports were small.
					
	Services imports were virtually unchanged from 
September to October.  Increases in other private services and 
passenger fares were largely offset by a decrease in other 
transportation.  Changes in other categories of services 
imports were small.
			
	From October 2007 to October 2008, services exports 
increased $3.2 billion.  The largest increases were in other 
private services ($1.1 billion), travel ($0.6 billion), and 
royalties and license fees ($0.6 billion).  Within other private 
services, the largest increase was in business, professional, and 
technical services.
						
	From October 2007 to October 2008, services imports 
increased $2.0 billion.  The largest increases were in other 
private services ($0.8 billion), other transportation ($0.4 
billion), royalties and license fees ($0.3 billion), and passenger 
fares ($0.3 billion).  Within other private services, the largest 
increase was in business, professional, and technical services.

Goods and Services Moving Average

For the three months ending in October, exports of goods 
and services averaged $157.5 billion, while imports of goods 
and services averaged $215.0 billion, resulting in an average 
trade deficit of $57.5 billion.  For the three months ending in 
September, the average trade deficit was $58.8 billion, 
reflecting average exports of $163.0 billion and average 
imports of $221.9 billion.
 




Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details

	The October figures showed surpluses, in billions of dollars, 
with Australia $1.1 ($0.8 for September), Hong Kong $1.1 ($1.7), 
Singapore $1.0 ($0.9), and Egypt $0.2 ($0.2).  Deficits were 
recorded, in billions of dollars, with China $28.0 ($27.8), OPEC 
$14.0 ($13.4), the European Union $9.6 ($8.3), Japan $6.0 ($5.6), 
Canada $6.0 ($7.6), Mexico $4.8 ($4.9), Venezuela $2.7 ($3.5), 
Nigeria $2.6 ($2.2), Korea $1.6 ($1.0), and Taiwan $1.5 ($1.4).

	Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were $22.1 
billion in October and imports were $29.9 billion, resulting in a 
deficit of $7.9 billion.  October exports were $0.5 billion more 
than the $21.6 billion in September, while imports were $0.6 
billion more than the $29.3 billion in September.

Revisions

	Goods carry-over in October was $0.2 billion (0.2 percent) 
for exports and $1.8 billion (1.0 percent) for imports.  For 
September, revised export carry-over was $0.3 billion (0.3 
percent), revised down from $0.9 billion (0.8 percent).  For 
September, revised import carry-over was $0.4 billion (0.2 
percent), revised down from $2.1 billion (1.1 percent).

	Services exports and imports for April through September 
2008 reflect the incorporation of more comprehensive and revised 
quarterly and monthly data.  For services exports, the largest 
revisions over the entire period were in other private services and 
royalties and license fees.  For services imports, the largest 
revisions over the entire period were in other private services and 
travel.
	
	Services exports for September were virtually unrevised at 
$47.3 billion.  Downward revisions in travel, passenger fares, 
and other transportation were mostly offset by upward revisions 
in other private services and royalties and license fees.  Services 
imports for September were revised up $0.1 billion to $34.3 
billion.  The revision was more than accounted for by an upward 
revision in other private services.  A downward revision in travel 
was partly offsetting.



	TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 1
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

1
Exhibit 2
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Three-month Moving Averages. . . . . . .

2
Exhibit 3
U.S. Services by Major Category  Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3
Exhibit 4
U.S. Services by Major Category  Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4
Exhibit 5
U.S. Trade in Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5
Exhibit 6
Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6
Exhibit 7
Exports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7
Exhibit 8
Imports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9
Exhibit 9
Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum and Non-Petroleum End-Use 
Category Totals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


11
Exhibit 10
Real Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category (2000 Chain-
weighted dollars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


12
Exhibit 11
Real Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum and Non-Petroleum End-Use 
Commodity Category Totals (2000 Chain-weighted dollars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 


13

Not Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 12
U.S. Trade in Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

14
Exhibit 13
Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15
Exhibit 14
Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods by Selected Countries and Areas. . . . . . . . . . . .

16
Exhibit 15
Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal SITC Commodities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18
Exhibit 16
Exports, Imports, and Balance of Advanced Technology Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20
Exhibit 16a
Exports, Imports, and Balance of Advanced Technology Products by Technology
Group and Selected Countries and Areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


21
Exhibit 17
Imports of Energy-Related Petroleum Products, Including Crude Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22
Exhibit 18
Exports and Imports of Motor Vehicles and Parts by Selected Countries. . . . . . . . . . . . .

23
Information on Goods and Services.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
A-1

 
 
 
 


ii

NOTE:  Total goods data are reported on a Balance of Payments basis; commodity and country detail data for goods are on a Census basis.  For information on 
data sources and definitions, see the information section on page 27 of this release, or at www.census.gov/ft900 or www.bea.gov/bea/di/home/trade.htm.  
The next FT-900 release is April 11, 2008.









