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James Thomas
Supervisory Economist, Division of International
Prices, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Jill Walker
Economist, Division of International Prices,
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Rebecca Westra
Economist, formerly in the Division of
International Prices, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Robert Barr and Jeffery Couzens, Economists, Division of International Prices, Bureau of Labor Statistics, contributed to this article.
A strong U.S. chemical trade surplus in the 1980's reflected industry competitiveness in the international market. The favorable balance of trade was achieved through diversification, cost advantages, gains in efficiency, and economies of scale. This article examines the factors that have most influenced the chemical trade balance, as well as specific industries associated with chemicals that had the most impact on the surplus.
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