Available for this release: Full Release (PDF - ) | Information Section, Tables (XLS - ), Highlights (PDF - )

Sign up for U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services News Releases.

                            U.S. Census Bureau
                     U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
                                   NEWS
            U.S. Department of Commerce  Washington, D.C. 20230

                           
CB06-149
BEA06-46
FT-900 (06-08)

For information on goods contact:
U.S. Census Bureau:
Nick Orsini     (301) 763-6959
Vanessa Ware    (301) 763-2311

For information on services contact:
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Technical: Christopher Bach     (202) 606-9545
Media:     Ralph Stewart        (202) 606-2649

                U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
                                August 2006

Goods and Services

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department
of Commerce, announced today that total August exports of $122.4 billion and imports of
$192.3 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $69.9 billion, $1.9 billion
more than the $68.0 billion in July, revised.  August exports were $2.7 billion more
than July exports of $119.7 billion.  August imports were $4.6 billion more than July
imports of $187.7 billion.

In August, the goods deficit increased $2.1 billion from July to $75.5 billion, and the
services surplus increased $0.2 billion to $5.7 billion.  Exports of goods increased $2.5
billion to $88.0 billion, and imports of goods increased $4.6 billion to $163.5 billion.
Exports of services increased $0.2 billion to $34.4 billion, and imports of services
decreased $0.1 billion to $28.8 billion.

In August, the goods and services deficit was up $11.1 billion from August 2005.
Exports were up $14.4 billion, or 13.4 percent, and imports were up $25.5 billion,
or 15.3 percent.

Goods

The July to August change in exports of goods reflected increases in capital goods
($1.3 billion); industrial supplies and materials ($0.5 billion); other goods
($0.4 billion); foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.4 billion); and consumer goods
($0.2 billion).  A decrease occurred in automotive vehicles, parts, and engines
($0.1 billion).

The July to August change in imports of goods reflected increases in industrial
supplies and materials ($2.0 billion); capital goods ($1.0 billion); consumer goods
($0.7 billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.5 billion); foods, feeds,
and beverages ($0.2 billion); and other goods ($0.2 billion).

The August 2005 to August 2006 change in exports of goods reflected increases in
capital goods ($3.9 billion); industrial supplies and materials ($3.6 billion);
consumer goods ($1.5 billion); foods, feeds, and beverages ($1.1 billion); automotive
vehicles, parts, and engines ($1.0 billion); and other goods ($0.8 billion).

The August 2005 to August 2006 change in imports of goods reflected increases in
industrial supplies and materials ($11.7 billion); capital goods ($4.5 billion);
consumer goods ($4.2 billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($1.2 billion);
foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.7 billion); and other goods ($0.6 billion).

Services

Services exports increased $0.2 billion from July to August.  Increases in other
transportation (which includes freight and port services) and other private services
(which includes items such as business, professional, and technical services, insurance
services, and financial services) were partly offset by a decrease in travel.  Changes
in other categories of services exports were small.

Services imports decreased $0.1 billion from July to August.  Decreases in travel and
royalties and license fees were partly offset by an increase in other private services.
Changes in other categories of services imports were small.

From August 2005 to August 2006, services exports increased $2.7 billion.  The largest
increases were in other private services ($1.6 billion), other transportation ($0.7
billion), and royalties and license fees ($0.5 billion).

From August 2005 to August 2006, services imports increased $2.6 billion.  The largest
increases were in other private services ($1.4 billion) and other transportation ($0.5
billion).

Goods and Services Moving Average

For the three months ending in August, exports of goods and services averaged $121.1
billion, while imports of goods and services averaged $188.7 billion, resulting in an
average trade deficit of $67.6 billion.  For the three months ending in July, the
average trade deficit was $66.1 billion, reflecting average exports of $119.8 billion
and average imports of $185.9 billion.

Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details

The August figures showed surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Australia $0.9
($0.7 for July), Hong Kong $0.7 ($0.7), Singapore $0.4 ($0.1), Egypt $0.2 ($0.1), and
Argentina $0.1 ($0.1).  Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China
$22.0 ($19.6), Europe $13.7 ($15.6), OPEC $11.2 ($10.9), the European Union $11.0 ($13.4),
Japan $7.5 ($7.6), Mexico $6.2 ($5.1), Canada $6.1 ($5.9), Taiwan $1.7 ($1.4),
Korea $1.1 ($1.3), and Brazil $1.0 ($0.9).

Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were $21.3 billion in August and imports
were $24.9 billion, resulting in a deficit of $3.6 billion.  August exports were $1.7
billion more than the $19.6 billion in July, while imports were $0.7 billion more than
the $24.2 billion in July.

Revisions

Goods carry-over in August was $0.2 billion (0.2 percent) for exports and $2.0 billion
(1.2 percent) for imports.  For July, revised export carry-over was $0.1 billion
(0.1 percent), revised down from $0.3 billion (0.3 percent).  For July, revised import
carry-over was $0.3 billion (0.2 percent), revised down from $1.9 billion (1.2 percent).

Services exports for July were virtually unchanged at $34.3 billion.  Services imports
for July were revised down $0.1 billion to $28.8 billion; the revision was accounted
for by downward revisions in travel and passenger fares.