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 THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2012

For information on goods contact:
U.S. Census Bureau:

Matthew Przybocki
301-763-3148
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



CB12-82, BEA12-19, FT-900 (12-03)

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
March 2012


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 $186.8 billion 
and imports of $238.6 billion resulted in a goods and services 
deficit of $51.8 billion, up from $45.4 billion in February, 
revised.  March exports were $5.3 billion more than February 
exports of $181.5 billion.  March imports were $11.7 billion 
more than February imports of $226.9 billion.
    
    In March, the goods deficit increased $6.5 billion from 
February to $67.6 billion, and the services surplus increased 
$0.1 billion from February to $15.8 billion.  Exports of goods 
increased $4.7 billion to $132.7 billion, and imports of goods 
increased $11.3 billion to $200.3 billion.  Exports of services 
increased $0.5 billion to $54.1 billion, and imports of services 
increased $0.4 billion to $38.3 billion.
    
    The goods and services deficit increased $5.8 billion from 
March 2011 to March 2012.  Exports were up $12.8 billion, or 
7.3 percent, and imports were up $18.5 billion, or 8.4 percent.
    
Goods (Census Basis)
    
    The February to March increase in exports of goods 
reflected increases in industrial supplies and materials ($2.4 
billion); capital goods ($1.2 billion); foods, feeds, and 
beverages ($0.5 billion); other goods ($0.4 billion); 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.4 billion); and 
consumer goods ($0.1 billion). 
      
 
 

   The February to March increase in imports of goods 
reflected increases in capital goods ($3.5 billion); consumer 
goods ($3.3 billion); industrial supplies and materials ($2.5 
billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($1.2 billion); 
other goods ($0.5 billion); and foods, feeds, and beverages 
($0.2 billion). 
   
   The March 2011 to March 2012 increase in exports of 
goods reflected increases in capital goods ($4.6 billion); 
industrial supplies and materials ($3.1 billion); automotive 
vehicles, parts, and engines ($1.0 billion); other goods ($0.4 
billion); and consumer goods ($0.4 billion).  A decrease 
occurred in foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.8 billion).  
   
   
   
   
   The March 2011 to March 2012 increase in imports of 
goods reflected increases in capital goods ($6.6 billion); 
automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($3.5 billion); 
consumer goods ($2.0 billion); industrial supplies and 
materials ($1.4 billion); other goods ($0.9 billion); and foods, 
feeds, and beverages ($0.6 billion).  
    
Services

    Exports of services increased $0.5 billion from February 
to March.  The increase was mostly accounted for by increases 
in other private services (which includes items such as 
business, professional, and technical services, insurance 
services, and financial services), royalties and license fees, 
and other transportation (which includes freight and port 
services).  Changes in the other categories of services exports 
were small.
    
	Imports of services increased $0.4 billion from February 
to March.  The increase was mostly accounted for by increases 
in other transportation, other private services, and travel.  
Changes in the other categories of services imports were 
small.
				
	The March 2011 to March 2012 increase in exports of 
services was $4.6 billion.  The largest increases were in 
royalties and license fees ($1.8 billion), travel ($1.1 billion), 
and other private services ($1.0 billion).  Within other private 
services, the largest increases were in financial services and in 
business, professional, and technical services.

	The March 2011 to March 2012 increase in imports of 
services was $3.5 billion.  The largest increases were in other 
private services ($2.1 billion) and travel ($0.7 billion).  Within 
other private services, the largest increases were in business, 
professional, and technical services and in insurance services.
    
Goods and Services Moving Average

    For the three months ending in March, exports of goods 
and services averaged $183.1 billion, while imports of goods 
and services averaged $233.0 billion, resulting in an average 
trade deficit of $49.9 billion.  For the three months ending in 
February, the average trade deficit was $49.5 billion, 
reflecting average exports of $180.2 billion and average 
imports of $229.7 billion.
 

Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details
    
    The March figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, 
with Hong Kong $3.0 ($3.1 for February), Australia $2.0 
($1.7), Singapore $0.9 ($0.7), and Egypt $0.2 ($0.2).  Deficits 
were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China $21.7 ($19.4), 
    
    
    

European Union $9.8 ($5.9), OPEC $9.1 ($6.4), Japan $7.1 
($7.0), Mexico $6.1 ($5.8), Germany $5.5 ($3.6), Canada $3.1 
($2.9), Venezuela $2.7 ($1.9), Ireland $2.1 ($2.2), Nigeria 
$1.0 ($0.9), Taiwan $0.7 ($0.8), and Korea $0.6 ($0.4).
    
    Advanced technology products exports were $27.9 billion 
in March and imports were $35.1 billion, resulting in a deficit 
of $7.2 billion.  March exports were $4.5 billion more than the 
$23.3 billion in February, while March imports were $5.9 
billion more than the $29.2 billion in February.
    
Revisions  

Census Basis (not seasonally adjusted)
    
    For February, exports of goods were revised down $0.1 
billion and imports of goods were revised down $0.3 billion.  
Goods carry-over in March was virtually zero for exports and 
$0.8 billion (0.4 percent) for imports.  For February, revised 
export carry-over was $0.1 billion (0.1 percent).  For 
February, revised import carry-over was $0.1 billion (0.1 
percent).

Balance of Payments Basis (seasonally adjusted)
    
    For February, exports of goods were revised down $0.1 
billion and imports of goods were revised down $0.4 billion.  
    
    For February, exports of services were revised up $0.4 
billion, reflecting upward revisions in travel and passenger 
fares.  For February, imports of services were revised up $0.1 
billion, reflecting an upward revision in travel.     
             


NOTICE

Upcoming Revisions to Goods and Services

On June 8, 2012, the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will release U.S. 
International Trade in Goods and Services: April 2012 and U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services: 
Annual Revision for 2011.  With these releases, statistics on trade in goods, on both a Census basis and a 
balance of payments (BOP) basis, and statistics on trade in services will be revised from January 2009 to March 
2012.  The revised statistics on trade in goods will reflect reclassifications of several end-use commodities, as 
well as recalculated seasonal and trading-day adjustments.  The revised statistics on goods on a BOP basis and 
on services will also appear in U.S. International Transactions: First Quarter 2012 and in the annual revision 
of the U.S. international transactions accounts (ITAs), both to be released by BEA on June 14, 2012.  In 
addition to the changes mentioned above, BEAs annual revision of the ITAs will reflect newly available and 
more complete source data and minor improvements to estimation methodologies.






Table of Contents

Seasonally Adjusted

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

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

Exhibit 3
U.S. Services by Major Category  Exports 

Exhibit 4
U.S. Services by Major Category  Imports

Exhibit 5
U.S. Trade in Goods 

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

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

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

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


Exhibit 10
Real Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category - Chained (2005) 
Dollars 

Exhibit 11
Real Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum and Non-Petroleum End-Use 
Commodity Category Totals - Chained (2005) Dollars


Not Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 12
U.S. Trade in Goods

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

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

Exhibit 15
Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal SITC Commodities 

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

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

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

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

Information on Goods and Services 






