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. EDT TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2009

For information on goods contact:

U.S. Census Bureau:
Nick Orsini
301-763-6959
Maria Iseman
301-763-2311

For information on services contact:
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Technical:  Edward Dozier
202-606-9559
Media:       Ralph Stewart
202-606-2649

CB09-73, BEA09-19, FT-900 (09-03)

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
March 2009

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 March exports of 
$123.6 billion and imports of $151.2 billion resulted in a 
goods and services deficit of $27.6 billion, up from $26.1 
billion in February, revised.  March exports were $3.0 
billion less than February exports of $126.6 billion.  
March imports were $1.6 billion less than February 
imports of $152.8 billion.

In March, the goods deficit increased $1.2 billion 
from February to $38.4 billion, and the services surplus 
decreased $0.2 billion to $10.8 billion.  Exports of goods 
decreased $2.5 billion to $82.0 billion, and imports of 
goods decreased $1.3 billion to $120.3 billion.  Exports of 
services decreased $0.5 billion to $41.7 billion, and 
imports of services decreased $0.3 billion to $30.9 
billion.

In March, the goods and services deficit decreased 
$29.8 billion from March 2008.  Exports were down 
$26.0 billion, or 17.4 percent, and imports were down 
$55.9 billion, or 27.0 percent.
 
Goods

The February to March change in exports of goods 
reflected decreases in capital goods ($1.7 billion); 
consumer goods ($0.5 billion); automotive vehicles, 
parts, and engines ($0.2 billion); and other goods ($0.2 
billion).  Increases occurred in foods, feeds, and 
beverages ($0.2 billion) and industrial supplies and 
materials ($0.1 billion).
 
	The February to March change in imports of goods 
reflected decreases in industrial supplies and materials 
($0.7 billion); capital goods ($0.5 billion); and other 
goods ($0.4 billion).  An increase occurred in consumer 
goods ($0.3 billion).  Foods, feeds, and beverages and 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines were virtually 
unchanged. 
The March 2008 to March 2009 change in exports of 
goods reflected decreases in industrial supplies and 
materials ($9.4 billion); capital goods ($6.4 billion); 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($3.6 billion); 
foods, feeds, and beverages ($2.0 billion); other goods ($0.9 
billion); and consumer goods ($0.4 billion).

The March 2008 to March 2009 change in imports of 
goods reflected decreases in industrial supplies and 
materials ($27.8 billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and 
engines ($9.7 billion); capital goods ($8.7 billion); 
consumer goods ($4.9 billion); other goods ($0.8 billion); 
and foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.4 billion). 


Services

	Services exports decreased $0.5 billion from February 
to March.  The decrease was more than accounted for by 
decreases in travel, passenger fares, and other 
transportation (which includes freight and port 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 decreased $0.3 billion from February 
to March.  The decrease was more than accounted for by 
decreases in travel and passenger fares.  Changes in other 
categories of services imports were small.

	The March 2008 to March 2009 decrease in exports of 
services was $3.1 billion.  The largest decreases were in 
travel ($1.4 billion), other transportation ($1.1 billion), and 
passenger fares ($0.5 billion).

	The March 2008 to March 2009 decrease in imports of 
services was $2.3 billion.  The largest decreases were in 
other transportation ($1.3 billion), travel ($0.7 billion), and 
passenger fares ($0.4 billion).  An increase in other private 
services ($0.2 billion), which includes items such as 
business, professional, and technical services, insurance 
services, and financial services, was partly offsetting.  The 
largest increase was in business, professional, and technical 
services, and the largest decrease was in financial services.


Goods and Services Moving Average

For the three months ending in March, exports of goods 
and services averaged $125.0 billion, while imports of 
goods and services averaged $155.0 billion, resulting in an 
average trade deficit of $30.0 billion.  For the three months 
ending in February, the average trade deficit was $34.1 
billion, reflecting average exports of $128.0 billion and 
average imports of $162.0 billion.
 




Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details

	The March figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, 
with Hong Kong $1.5 ($1.2 for February), Australia $1.1 
($1.0), Singapore $0.5 ($0.7), and Egypt $0.3 ($0.5).  Deficits 
were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China $15.6 ($14.2), 
the European Union $4.4 ($3.3), Mexico $3.9 ($3.1), Japan 
$2.6 ($2.2), OPEC $2.4 ($2.1), Korea $1.2 ($0.9), Taiwan $1.0 
($1.0), Venezuela $0.9 ($1.0), Nigeria $0.9 ($0.5), and Canada 
$0.8 ($1.9).

	Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were $20.7 
billion in March and imports were $23.4 billion, resulting in a 
deficit of $2.6 billion.  March exports were $1.8 billion more 
than the $18.9 billion in February, while imports were $3.0 
billion more than the $20.4 billion in February.


Revisions

	Goods carry-over in March was less than $0.1 billion (0.1 
percent) for exports and $0.6 billion (0.5 percent) for imports.  
For February, revised export carry-over was virtually 
unchanged at $0.1 billion (0.1 percent).  For February, revised 
import carry-over was $0.2 billion (0.2 percent), revised down 
from $0.8 billion (0.6 percent).


	Services exports for February were revised up $0.1 billion 
to $42.2 billion.  The revision was more than accounted for by 
upward revisions in travel and passenger fares.  Services 
imports for February were virtually unrevised at $31.2 billion, 
as small upward revisions were mostly offset by small 
downward revisions. 



	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