Shifts in U.S. Merchandise Trade 2000, released today by the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), reviews U.S. trade performance in 2000, focusing on changes in U.S. exports, imports, and trade balances of key natural resource, agricultural, and manufacturing industries, as well as examining changes in U.S. bilateral/multilateral trade with major trade partners.

This year's report also includes profiles of the U.S. industry and market for about 245 industry and commodity groups and subgroups, providing data for 1996-2000 on domestic consumption, production, employment, trade, and import penetration.

The ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, publishes Shifts in U.S. Merchandise Trade annually, along with a separate companion report, Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade. This year's merchandise report also reviews:

• the macroeconomic environment within the U.S. and global markets in 2000 and the significance of international trade in the U.S. gross domestic product compared with those of its major trade partners;

• noteworthy bilateral shifts in trade during 1999-2000 with the top five U.S. trade partners (in terms of total trade) -- Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, and Mexico;

• factors affecting 10-year trade trends for five prominent industry/commodity groups -- apparel, crude petroleum, fruit and vegetable juices, natural gas, and semiconductors and integrated circuits;

• industry/commodity groups that experienced the most significant shifts in trade during 1999-2000, including the reasons for the largest shifts in trade at the sector and commodity levels;

• the status of five-year (sunset) reviews (initiated through June 2001) of existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders; and of World Trade Organization cases involving the United States; and

• the influence of foreign currency exchange rates on trade patterns and the rate shifts that occurred in 2000.

Shifts in U.S. Merchandise Trade 2000 (Inv. No. 332-345, USITC Publication 3436, July 2001) will be available on the ITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov. It will also be available at regional federal depository libraries in the United States. A printed copy may be requested by calling 202-205-1809 or by writing to the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.