Archive for the ‘Statistics’ Category

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May is World Trade Month

May 1, 2012

Cory Churches is a Communications Outreach Specialist in the Office of Public Affairs at the International Trade Administration.

May is the harbinger of Spring (here in the Northern Hemisphere) but it’s also what I like to call the “month of weeks”. In addition to being Bike Month (as proclaimed by the League of American Bicyclists) it is also a celebration of many of the things we here at the International Trade Administration hold near and dear to our hearts.

Bike messengers in Hannover, Germany (Photo T.MoE via Flickr)

Bike messengers in Hannover, Germany (Photo T.MoE via Flickr)

In May we celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week (May 5-13), National Small Business Week (May 14-20), and last but certainly not least World Trade Week (May 21-26). All month we will be highlighting programs, industries, and milestones from across the organization that fit into these three (and sometimes all) themes.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the E-Awards, created to “afford suitable recognition to persons, firms, or organizations which contribute significantly in the effort to increase United States exports.”

The U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement enters into force on May 15 and we will have information about the economic impact of the agreement and opportunities for key industries as a result of the provisions of the agreement.

The annual TradeWinds Forum takes place May 14-22 and we will be highlighting stories from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam where hundreds of companies will be networking with government and industry leaders to find connections, partners, and ultimately sales in new markets.

Speaking of partners, the Market Development Cooperator Program (or MDCP) will highlight one of their many successes with a profile of the Independent Film and Television Alliance. IFTA became a partner in 2010 with the goal of “enhancing the global competitiveness of its industry and increase the exports of U.S. independent motion picture exports by an creating American Pavilion at the Hong Kong International Film and Television Market.” We will hear of their ultimate success and track their progress.

Keep an eye out for upcoming stories and follow us on Twitter @TradeGov.

Posted in Commercial Service, Competitiveness, Exporting, International Trade Administration, Services, Statistics, Success Story, Trade Shows and Trade Events, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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International Visitors to the U.S. Jumped 9 Percent in February 2012

April 27, 2012

Claudia Wolfe is an Economist in the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) within the International Trade Administration where she focuses on international visitation to the United States.

As Pow Wow winds down this week, it’s great news that international visitation to the U.S. is up this year over last year.

The number of international visitors to the United States rose 9 percent in February from a year ago, after record arrivals in 2011 and an increase in visits in January 2012.

A total 4.2 million international visitors came to the U.S., with the largest number from nearby Canada and Mexico in February of this year.

Of the top 10 nations sending visitors to the U.S., two countries posted double-digit growth: Brazil and China. Brazil is up more than 27 percent in 2012 over last year with 294,052 arriving in the U.S. and visitors from China so far in 2012 total 227,856, up 40 percent over last year.

Miami, New York’s JFK and Los Angeles LAX airports were the three busiest ports of entry for international travelers in February.

For more information, visit OTTI’s monthly visitation page

Posted in Exporting, International Trade Administration, Services, Statistics, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

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Travel Forecast Projects Increase in International Visitors between Four and Five Percent by 2016

April 25, 2012

This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.

Mark Brown is a Senior Market Research Analyst with the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries in the Manufacturing and Services division of the International Trade Administration

This week is a pretty exciting time for the travel and tourism industry. The U.S. Travel Association’s annual International Pow Wow trade show event, is taking place in Los Angeles and was the venue for Commerce Secretary John Bryson to release the 2012-2016 travel forecast. The U.S. Department of Commerce produces a semi-annual travel forecast, one in the spring to coincide with the Pow Wow event, and one in the fall to coincide with an annual travel industry marketing outlook event.

Our latest forecast shows that international traveler volume to the United States is expected to build on the two consecutive visitor volume records set in 2010 and 2011 and grow at a four percent to five percent rate from 2012 through 2016.

Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sanchez cuts the ribbon to open Pow Wow 2012 with Travel and Tourism officials

Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sanchez cuts the ribbon to open Pow Wow 2012 with Travel and Tourism officials

When compared to the fall 2011 forecast, the spring 2012 forecast represents a further downward revision in visitor volume growth, and the fall had been revised downward compared to the spring 2011 forecast. These revisions reflect several factors, including 2011’s solid, but below-forecast performance, and the International Monetary Fund’s revision of economic conditions for many of the U.S. top visitor origin markets.

That’s the bad news. But the good news is that the forecast still projects solid growth in visitor volume over the 2012 to 2016 period…and at a level higher than the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s forecast for the world, which is between 3.5 percent and 3.8 percent annual growth over this period.

The current forecast for the USA also does not yet factor in the potential impact from the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 legislation, which was signed into law in March 2010. The law established the non-profit Corporation for Travel Promotion, now known as BrandUSA, and a funding mechanism to market the USA as a premier travel destination. BrandUSA just unveiled their marketing plan at the Los Angeles Pow Wow event. Their impact on travel to the USA would be above and beyond the Department’s forecast levels.

If the forecast holds true, visitor volume would grow from 62.3 million in 2011 to reach 65.4 million in 2012 and 76.6 million by 2016. This translates into total growth of 14.4 million additional visitors in 2016 compared to 2011, growth of 23% versus the 2011 level, and a compounded annual growth rate of 4.2 percent.

Related: TAKE-OFF! (traveling, that is) New Travel Indicators Website Launched
International Visitors to the U.S. Jumped 9 Percent in February 2012

Tourists from all world regions are forecast to grow over the five-year period, ranging from a low for the Caribbean (+9 percent), to a high for Asia (+49 percent), South America (+47 percent), and Africa (+47 percent). All but three of the top-40 visitor origin countries are forecast to grow from 2011 through 2016. Countries with the largest total growth percentages include China (+198 percent), Brazil (+70 percent), Argentina (+46 percent), Australia (+45 percent), Korea (+35 percent), and Venezuela (+35 percent).

It’s important to monitor the fast-growing markets, but what matters more are the largest-growth markets. The North America world region is forecast to account for the largest proportion of the total visitor growth of 14 million visitors (42 percent). Asia (25 percent), Western Europe (11 percent), and South America (13 percent) are expected to account for the bulk of the remaining 58 percent of total growth in visitor volume forecast in 2016 compared to 2011 actual volume. 

The countries contributing the most to total growth by 2016 are Canada (additional 4.47 million visitors), China (2.16 additional visitors), Mexico (1.54 million additional visitors, Brazil (1.06 million additional visitors), and Australia (463 thousand additional visitors).

To learn more about the spring 2012 Travel and Tourism Forecast, visit www.trade.gov. To learn more about Commerce’s efforts to increase travel to the U.S., visit www.commerce.gov.

 

Posted in Competitiveness, Exporting, International Trade Administration, Services, Statistics, Trade Data, Travel & Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

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U.S. Exporters (and Exports) Increased in 2010, Up 6 Percent from 2009

April 17, 2012

Natalie Soroka is an economist in the Office of Trade and Industry Information within the International Trade Administration where she focuses on international trade statistics and trends.

Last week the Census Bureau released, A Profile of U.S. Importing and Exporting Companies, 2009-2010, which provides information on U.S. companies that can be linked to import or export transactions (otherwise referred to as “identified” companies). In 2010, more than 293,000 U.S. companies exported goods, nearly 16,500 more than exported in 2009.  These companies exported $1.1 trillion in goods in 2010, up 21 percent from 2009. Most of these exporters (266,400 or 91 percent) were single location companies, however the remaining 9 percent of companies that operated from multiple locations accounted for 75 percent of the “known export value” (the value of export transactions that can be tied to specific companies).Graph showing the number of companies that only export (212,419), only import (101,008) or both (80,640)

What do these companies export? Manufacturers accounted for the largest portion of known value in 2010 (60 percent). In addition, the top 50 manufacturers accounted for 43 percent of the entire sector’s known export value. This is higher than the share represented by the top 50 wholesalers (36 percent) and other companies (37 percent) in their respective sectors. Large companies dominate manufacturers’ exports, with 3 percent of manufacturing exporters accounting for 81 percent of manufacturing export value.

On the import side, the number of importers also increased from 2009, up to more than 181,600 businesses. It should be noted that importers and exporters are not mutually exclusive. Of the more than 394,000 companies engaged in trade, more than a fifth (80,640) both exported and imported goods in 2010.

Like exports, while most importers operate from a single location (90 percent), it is the few multiple location companies that account for most (76 percent) of the known import value. Importers also tend to be slightly more concentrated towards the top firms than exporters. 

However, international trade isn’t only a big guy’s game. Small and medium-sized companies (those with fewer than 500 employees), or “SMEs”, accounted for 98 percent of all identified exporters in 2010 and 34 percent of known export value.  While they may only contribute 19 percent of the sector’s $683 billion in exports, 97 percent of manufacturing exporters are SMEs. As for wholesalers, SMEs accounted for 62 percent of the sector’s $268 billion in exports.

Unlike previous versions of the Profile, this version includes information on SME companies by 3-digit North American Industry Classification (NAICS) code. In 2010, merchant wholesalers of durable goods comprised both the largest number of SME exporters (60,571) and the highest known export value among these industries ($91 billion).

As for our export and import markets, more than half of identified companies exported to or imported from only one foreign market, and 82 percent of exporters and 90 percent of importers traded with one of the top 25 U.S. trading partners. Exports to Canada, the largest market in 2010, also showed the highest increase in known dollar value compared to 2009 (up $34 billion). On the import side, China was the largest supplier for U.S. importers as well as showed the highest growth in known value, increasing by $66 billion in 2010.

On a state level, Texas, California, New York, Washington, and Florida together accounted for 43 percent of known exports.  Similarly, California, Texas, New Jersey, New York and Illinois accounted for half of the known import value in 2010. Many states posted increases in 2010, with Maine showing the highest increase in known export value (up 46 percent) and New Mexico showing the highest increase in known import value (up 55 percent).

More information and the full profile are both available on the Office of Trade and Industry Information website.

Posted in Exporting, Small Business, Statistics, Trade Data | Tagged , | 1 Comment »

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Jobs Supported by Exports Surge by 1.2 million

March 14, 2012

Martin Johnson and Chris Rasmussen are Senior Economists in the Office of Industry Analysis within the International Trade Administration

For the first time in U.S. history annual exports of goods and services crossed the $2 trillion threshold exceeding $2.1 trillion in 2011.  This increase in exports builds on the strong growth in 2010, and in 2011 exports of U.S. goods and services were up over 33 percent from 2009. This growth in exports corresponded with growth in jobs supported by U.S. exports. 

We estimate that in 2011 jobs supported by exports increased to 9.7 million in 2011, up 1.2 million since 2009. While the total value of U.S. exports set an all time record in 2011, jobs supported by exports in 2011 were just shy of the 2008 peak of 9.8 million.  In 2011, every billion dollars of U.S. exports supported 5,080 jobs.

Traditionally we think of export oriented jobs as those engaged in making and transporting goods, like at ports, rail, trucks, and manufacturing facilities, as well as at customs brokers and freight forwarders.

However, jobs all along the supply chain of both manufacturing and service industries are captured in this estimate. That means that all of the people who make and install parts that eventually end up in large equipment or small electronics sold abroad are included in this estimate.

In addition, people who are involved in exporting services, such as legal and financial services and travel and tourism are also included.

While your company may not export directly, if you sell products or services to one that does, you are part of this overall export equation.

Posted in Competitiveness, Exporting, Manufacturing, Services, Statistics, Supply Chain | Tagged , | 1 Comment »

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Top 25 Metro Areas Increase Exports by 21 Percent

March 7, 2012

Elizabeth Clark is a Senior Economist in the Office of Industry Analysis within the International Trade Administration

In 2010, merchandise trade exports to the world for the 377 (only 369 areas are available due to Federal disclosure regulations) U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) totaled $1.13 trillion, with merchandise exports from non-metropolitan “rural” areas totaling an additional $151.5 billion. Since the launch of the President’s National Export Initiative, merchandise exports from MSAs have increased 15.4 percent over the 2009 U.S. export figure of $975.7 billion.Top 25 metropolitan export markets for 2010

Although the value of U.S. exports is concentrated in the top metropolitan areas, exporting is an important economic driver in nearly every metropolitan area. In 2010, more than one-third of U.S. metropolitan areas exported more than $1 billion in merchandise to the world. Eight of these metropolitan areas exported merchandise worth more than $25 billion with a further 19 metropolitan areas exporting more than $10 billion.

Among the top 25 MSA exporters, merchandise exports increased 21 percent between 2009 and 2010. This growth rate was consistent across the three largest metropolitan area exporters: New York up 22 percent, Houston up 22 percent and Los Angeles up 21 percent.

Fourth-ranked Detroit leads metro areas in terms of growth, with 55 percent due mostly to the substantial recovery of the auto industry, as Detroit’s exports of transportation equipment grew 62 percent in 2010 to reach nearly $29 billion.

Trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA-DR have had a positive impact on exports from MSAs. While agreements with even the smallest countries may have only a marginal impact at the national level, these agreements can have a large impact at the local level when a metro area has geographic proximity and economic or cultural ties to a particular country or region.

For example, the Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA-DR is a region where the U.S. has an agreement and close trading relationship with six countries, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. U.S. merchandise trade with these six countries totaled only $24.3 billion in 2010, less than 2 percent of total U.S. merchandise trade. However, the CAFTA-DR markets represented a significant share of exports for a number of MSAs. The CAFTA-DR markets represented more than 5 percent of exports for 20 MSAs with these areas concentrated in the Southeast United States. The largest of these areas was Miami, Florida, where exports to the CAFTA-DR region totaled $3.8 billion, representing 11 percent of Miami’s exports to the world. Miami actually exports more to the six nations of the CAFTA region than it exports to our NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico combined.

Trade agreements will be increasingly important to small U.S. metropolitan area as the latest agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama enter into force. Agreements like these will further help to strengthen the export potential for U.S. firms. 

Find more information on MSA exports, including data and fact sheets for the top 50 exporting MSAs in 2010 is available on the Office of Industry Analysis home page.

Posted in Exporting, Manufacturing and Services, Statistics, Trade Data | Tagged , | 1 Comment »

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Trends in 2011 Trade – Records Set, Expectations Exceeded

March 5, 2012

The Office of Industry Analysis provides information and analysis pertaining to issues affecting U.S. industry competitiveness.

It’s been said before that exporting has been a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economic outlook. However, trends are improving in important areas such as manufacturing employment and productivity. Manufacturing is seeing a resurgence in investment and hiring. The average annual productivity in manufacturing grew 2.8 percent from 2010 to 2011. Also, while the manufacturing unemployment rate was 9.9 percent in January, 2011, by January, 2012, it had dropped to 8.4 percent.  Beyond what’s on the domestic horizon, more U.S. subsidiaries of foreign countries are also bringing manufacturing and jobs to the U.S., contributing to the export boom.

This past year saw a number of key records set and overall export growth on track to double exports by 2014.  For the first time, total exports exceeded $2 trillion, $2.1 trillion to be exact. U.S. merchandise exports increased $202 billion to a record $1.48 trillion from 2010 to 2011.U.S. Exports to the top ten markets which include Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong

Exports of petroleum and coal products jumped $40 billion, to a record $101 billion from 2010 to 2011.  The increase in these products accounted for one-fifth of the $202 billion national increase.

Looking more closely at categories that had some of the strongest growth we see records set in nearly every major manufacturing category. Industrial supplies represented the largest goods export category (end-use) for the U.S. with a record $499.5 billion worth of exports in 2011, followed by capital goods (a record $491.4 billion); consumer goods (a record $176.3 billion); automotive vehicles and parts (a record $132.5 billion); foods, feeds and beverages (a record $126.1 billion); and other goods ($54.9 billion).

Exports of services were also record-breaking, as was the overall surplus the U.S. enjoys in the services trade balance. The services trade surplus reached $179 billion, up 22.8 percent from the $145.8 billion surplus in 2010. The U.S. showed large surpluses in royalties and license fees ($84.1 billion), other private services ($80.3 billion) and travel ($36.4 billion).

It stands to reason that while the nation as a whole set records for exports, most states also saw growth in their exports to the world. Thirty-six states experienced double-digit merchandise export growth in 2011; 23 states exceeded the national average of 16 percent growth for merchandise exports.

Texas accounted for 21% of the nation’s increase in merchandise exports from 2010 to 2011. Texas, California, Illinois, Louisiana, and New York accounted for close to one-half of the increase in goods exports from 2010-2011.

Some of the states that saw the largest percentage growth in exports last year include West Virginia, Utah, New Mexico and Nevada.

Merchandise exports to some of our largest trading partners also grew to record-setting heights last year.  Our exports to Mexico, The Netherlands, Australia and Brazil grew more than 20 percent from 2010.  

U.S. merchandise exports were also at record levels to all of the priority emerging markets under the President’s National Export Initiative, including China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, South Africa, and Vietnam.

Our export growth will continue as U.S. businesses find new markets and new partners and expand on the current partnerships they’ve already established.

For more information about this and other export data, visit the International Trade Administration’s Office of Industry Analysis http://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/index.asp

Posted in Competitiveness, Exporting, Statistics, Trade Data | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

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October 2011 Trade Facts and Figures – Autos and Europe

December 9, 2011

Cory Churches is a Communication and Outreach Specialist in the Office of Public Affairs at the International Trade Administration

Today the Commerce Department announced the figures for international trade in goods and services for the month of October. Year-to-date, exports have grown nearly 16 percent. One area that has had particularly strong growth in exports is the auto sector. Exports of passenger cars in the first ten months of 2011 is nearly 25 percent over the same period last year. Those vehicles are finding homes in driveways and garages in Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and the UK.

As Secretary Bryson said this morning,

Today’s numbers clearly show the positive impact of exports on the American economy. So far this year we have seen six months of record-breaking growth of exports. Our initiatives are working for the American people. Since the President implemented the National Export Initiative in January 2010 monthly exports have increased 25 percent.

Exports continue to be a bright spot in our still recovering economy.

Europe and the EU have been in the news constantly and it’s worth noting that in 2010, exports to the 27 members of the European Union still represented nearly 19 percent of U.S. merchandise exports. The European Union is an important market for high value U.S. goods, with the largest U.S. export categories to the EU-27 market being chemicals, transportation equipment, computer and electronic products and machinery.

Demand in the Euro-zone countries has been the slowest to recover continuing into 2011. Through the first ten months of 2011, U.S. merchandise exports to these countries increased 13.4 percent. European Union members outside the Euro-zone have grown at a more rapid 15.6 percent. Outside the Euro-zone, the United Kingdom has led growth in  2011 with U.S. merchandise exports increasing 15.1 percent or $6.1 billion in the first ten months of 2011 (compared to the same period of 2010).

You can find more facts and figures about our trade with the EU and Europe in our Export Fact Sheet and about today’s trade figure release in the Census Bureau’s full report.

Posted in Export Fact Sheet, National Export Initiative, Statistics | Tagged , | 7 Comments »

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Cross-Border Services Trade Data Available for 2010

November 22, 2011

David Moore is an economist in the Office of Trade and Industry Information within the International Trade Administration.

We talk a great deal about exports of goods, however, private services-producing industries have become an increasingly important share of the U.S. economy, rising from 48 percent of GDP in 1947 to nearly 69 percent in 2010. The largest growth sector over this period have been the finance, insurance, and real estate (FIRE) sector which rose from nearly 11 percent of GDP in 1947 to more than 21 percent in 2010. Professional and business services have also risen from just 3 percent of GDP in 1947 to more than 12 percent of GDP in 2010.

Services Trends as a Percent of GDP: 1947-2010.

From 1947 to 2010, the services sector’s share of GDP has risen from 48 percent to nearly 69 percent.

From 1947 to 2010, the services sector’s share of GDP has risen from 48 percent to nearly 69 percent.

Indeed, the casual observer wouldn’t be inaccurate in concluding that the U.S. is a post-industrial, services based economy. However, it’s only relatively recently that services have become an important source of export growth as well as these services that are integral to the U.S. economy are increasingly sought out by foreign buyers overseas. In the October 2011 Survey of Current Business, the Bureau of Economic Analysis has released the latest data for services in their article “U.S. International Services: Cross-Border Trade in 2010 and Services Supplied through Affiliates in 2009.” This report shows that in 2010, the U.S. sold a record $530.3 billion in services to the world, up 8.7 percent from the $487.9 billion exported in 2009.

Cross-Border U.S. Services Trade reached an all-time high in 2010

Cross-Border U.S. Services Trade reached an all-time high in 2010

In fact, as shown in the chart to the left, the U.S. is running a significant surplus in services trade. While the U.S. exported $530.3 billion in services in 2010, U.S. services imports totaled only $368.0 billion, causing the U.S. trade surplus in services to total $162.2 billion. When comparing these services numbers and trends with the U.S. deficit on trade in goods (which climbed to $645.9 billion in 2010), the United States has consistently generated a surplus in services trade, a noteworthy detail for those businesses that want to grow their service opportunities outside the United States.

The latest presentation on U.S. Trade in Services prepared by the Office of Trade and Industry Information is on our website.

Posted in Exporting, Manufacturing and Services, Services, Statistics, Trade Data | 4 Comments »

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Good News in July Export Numbers

October 4, 2011

By John Ward, a writer in the International Trade Administration’s Office of Public Affairs.

Growth in U.S. Exports With Strength in These Sectors: Monthly exports of U.S. goods rose from $77 billion in January 2009 to $125 billion in July 2011. Exports of services rose from $40 billion to $51 billion in the same period. Year over year exports increased $9.6 billion in industrial supplies, $3.4 billion in capital goods, $2.7 billion in automobiles and parts, $2.2 billion in private services, $1.3 billion in travel, and $0.7 billion in royalties and liceneses from July 2010 to July 2011. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FT-900 release, September 8, 2011.

(Click for Full Size)

Every month, two Department of Commerce bureaus, the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, issue a report on U.S. international trade in goods and services known as the FT-900 release.

The most recent report covers trade in July 2011. Overall, the news was good for the U.S. economy. Exports of goods and services in July increased 3.6 percent from June to $178 billion. Compared to July 2010, exports of goods and services in July 2011 were up $23.4 billion, or 15.1 percent. This figure was the highest on record.

Goods that showed notable increases included industrial supplies, capital goods, and automobiles. Services that showed increases included private services (such as business, professional, and technical services); travel and tourism; and royalties and license fees.

Reacting to the new export numbers, Rebecca Blank, acting secretary of commerce, noted that “the global marketplace presents vast opportunities for U.S. companies, and today’s trade report shows they are taking advantage of those opportunities.”

To see the full report, visit www.census.gov/ft900.

Posted in Exporting, International Trade Administration, International Trade Update, Statistics | Tagged , , | 5 Comments »

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