Monthly Trade Highlights

February 2009 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

Dollar Change From Prior Month

• The February goods and services deficit ($26.0 billion) was the lowest since November 1999 ($25.7 billion).
• The February imports of goods and services ($152.7 billion) were the lowest since September 2004 ($149.5 billion).
• The February goods deficit ($36.9 billion) was the lowest since January 2002 ($34.6 billion).
• February imports of goods ($121.5 billion) were the lowest since May 2004 ($121.2 billion).
• The goods and services deficit has decreased for seven consecutive months.

Goods on a Census Basis (seasonally adjusted)

Balance

• The February goods deficit ($35.9 billion) was the lowest since March 2002 ($35.5 billion).
• The February petroleum deficit ($13.7 billion) was the lowest since September 2004 ($13.4 billion).
• The February non-petroleum deficit ($22.23 billion) was the lowest since September 1999 ($22.19 billion).

Imports

• February imports of goods ($121.3 billion) were the lowest since May 2004 ($120.7 billion).
• February imports of industrial supplies and materials ($34.7 billion) were the lowest since July 2004 ($34.1 billion).
• February imports of capital goods ($29.77 billion) were the lowest since November 2004 ($29.75 billion).
• February imports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($10.6 billion) were the lowest since October 1996 ($10.2 billion).
• February imports of consumer goods ($34.4 billion) were the lowest since November 2005 ($33.6 billion).
• February imports of petroleum ($16.8 billion) were the lowest since September 2004 ($14.9 billion).

Country and other highlights (Census Basis, not seasonally adjusted)

• The February deficit with Canada ($1.82 billion) was the lowest since December 1998 ($1.80 billion).
• The deficit with China ($14.2 billion) was the lowest since February 2006 ($13.8 billion).
• February imports from China ($18.9 billion) were the lowest since February 2006 ($17.9 billion).
• The deficit with Japan ($2.2 billion) was the lowest since December 1984 ($2.1 billion).
• February imports from Japan ($6.42 billion) were the lowest since January 1988 ($6.36 billion).
• February imports of crude oil ($10.0 billion) were the lowest since April 2004 ($9.7 billion).
• The February import average price per barrel of crude oil ($39.22) was the lowest since February 2005 ($36.93).