Monthly Trade Highlights
August 2008 Highlights
This page shows the Balance, Exports and Imports for the current month
and prior month, along with the percent change and dollar change between
the two. The last column of the table shows the last time the percent
change (or dollar change) was larger. Some interesting facts about this
month's International Trade in Goods and Services report can be found
at the bottom of the page.
Goods and Services on a Balance of Payments (BOP) Basis, seasonally
adjusted - series began with January 1992 statistics.
All Values in billions of dollars
Percent Change from Prior Month
|
August 2008 (Billions of $) |
July 2008 (Billions of
$) |
Percent Change from
Prior Month |
Last time the Increase/Decrease
in Percent Change was larger/When it Occured |
Goods and Services |
Balance |
-$59.1 |
-$61.3 |
-3.5% |
-7.3% from February to March 2008 |
Exports |
$164.7 |
$168.1 |
-2.0% |
-2.5% from May to June 2004 |
Imports |
$223.9 |
$229.4 |
-2.4% |
-3.4% from February to March 2008 |
Goods (BOP Basis) |
Balance |
-$70.9 |
-$74.1 |
-4.3% |
-5.6% from February to March 2008 |
Exports |
$117.6 |
$120.8 |
-2.6% |
-2.8% from February to March 2008 |
Imports |
$188.5 |
$194.9 |
-3.3% |
-4.0% from February to March 2008 |
Dollar Change From Prior Month
|
August 2008 (Billions of $) |
July 2008 (Billions of $) |
Dollar Change From
Prior Month |
Last time the Increase/Decrease
in Dollar Change was larger/When it Occured |
Goods and Services |
Balance |
-$59.1 |
-$61.3 |
$2.2 |
$4.5 from February to March 2008 |
Exports |
$164.7 |
$168.1 |
-$3.4 |
-$6.4 from August to September 2001 |
Imports |
$223.9 |
$229.4 |
-$5.5 |
-$7.3 from February to March 2008 |
Goods (BOP Basis) |
Balance |
-$70.9 |
-$74.1 |
$3.2 |
$4.1 from February to March 2008 |
Exports |
$117.6 |
$120.8 |
-$3.2 |
-$3.4 from August to September 2001 |
Imports |
$188.5 |
$194.9 |
-$6.4 |
-$7.1 from February to March 2008 |
- August exports of goods and services ($164.7 billion) was the second highest on record. The record occurred in July 2008 ($168.1 billion).
- August imports of goods and services ($223.9 billion) was the second highest on record. The record occurred in July 2008 ($229.4 billion).
- August imports of services ($35.3 billion) were a record.
Goods on a Census Basis (seasonally adjusted)
Exports
- August exports of capital goods ($42.3 billion) were a record.
- August exports of petroleum ($8.1 billion) were a record.
Imports
- August imports of non-petroleum ($144.2 billion) were a record.
- August imports of foods, feeds, and beverages ($7.8 billion) and consumer goods ($43.4 billion) were records.
- August imports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($19.2 billion) were the lowest since March 2005 ($18.8 billion).
Country and other highlights (Census Basis, not seasonally adjusted)
- The August deficit with China ($25.3 billion) was the highest since October 2007 ($25.9 billion).
- August imports from China ($31.8 billion) were a record.
- The August deficit with Japan ($4.8 billion) was the lowest since May 2003 ($4.5 billion).
- August exports to Japan ($6.37 billion) were the highest since March 1996 ($6.41 billion)
- August exports to South/Central America ($14.2 billion) were a record.
- August exports to OPEC ($7.0 billion) were a record.
- August imports of crude oil ($37.0 billion) declined after 5-consecutive months of increases.
|
|