This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released before
8:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2000     

CB-00-46 Press Copy 
FT-900 (00-01) 

For information on goods contact:
Bureau of the Census:
Haydn R. Mearkle  (301) 457-2246 
Nick Orsini  (301) 457-2311

For information on services contact:
Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Technical: Christopher Bach (202) 606-9545
Media: Larry Moran          (202) 606-2649

          U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
                            January 2000

Goods and Services

The Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the
Department of Commerce, announced today that total January  exports of
$84.1 billion and imports of $112.1 billion resulted in a goods and services
deficit of $28.0 billion, $3.4 billion more than the deficit of $24.6
billion in December, revised.  January exports were $1.5 billion less than
December exports of $85.6 billion.  January imports were $1.9 billion more
than December imports of $110.2 billion.

In January, the goods deficit increased $3.2 billion from December to $34.7
billion, and the services surplus decreased $0.1 billion to $6.7 billion.
Exports of goods decreased to $60.4 billion from $61.9 billion, and imports
of goods increased to $95.2 billion from $93.4 billion.  Exports of services
were virtually unchanged at $23.6 billion, and imports of services increased
to $16.9 billion from $16.7 billion.

Goods
     
The December to January change in exports of goods reflected decreases in
capital goods of $0.9 billion (primarily semiconductors and electric
apparatus); industrial supplies and materials ($0.3 billion); consumer goods
($0.2 billion); and other goods ($0.1 billion).  Increases occurred in foods,
feeds, and beverages ($0.1 billion) and automotive vehicles, parts, and
engines ($0.1 billion).
 
The December to January change in imports of goods reflected increases in
industrial supplies and materials of $0.7 billion (primarily crude oil, fuel
oil, and other petroleum products); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines
($0.7 billion); other goods ($0.2 billion); capital goods ($0.2 billion);
and consumer goods ($0.1 billion).  A decrease occurred in foods, feeds, and
beverages ($0.2 billion).Note:  Total goods are reported on a balance of
payments basis; commodity and country detail for goods are on a Census basis.
Definitions are explained in the notes starting on page 26 of this release.

Services
     
Services exports in January were virtually the same as in December.  Small
increases in travel and other private services were offset by a decrease in
transfers under U.S. military sales contracts.  Services imports increased
$0.2 billion from December to January.  The increase was more than accounted
for by small increases in travel, other private services, and passenger fares.

Goods and Services Moving Average 

For the three months ending in January, exports of goods and services averaged
$84.2 billion, while imports of goods and services averaged $110.4 billion,
resulting in an average trade deficit of $26.2 billion.  For the three months
ending in December, the average trade deficit was $25.2 billion, reflecting
average exports of $83.8 billion and average imports of $108.9 billion. 

Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details 

The January figures showed surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Australia
$0.5 (for December $0.5), Egypt $0.2 ($0.2) and Argentina $0.1 ($0.2).
Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China -$6.0 (-$5.6),
Japan -$5.6 (-$7.0), Canada -$4.3 (-$3.4), Western Europe -$3.6 (-$3.9), OPEC
-$2.7 (-$1.2), Mexico -$1.8 (-$0.9), Taiwan -$1.3 (-$1.2), Korea -$1.0 (-$0.8),
Singapore -$0.2 (-$0.1), Hong Kong -$0.1 ($0.3), and Brazil -$0.1 ($0.0).

Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were $16.4 billion in January and
imports were $14.7 billion, resulting in a surplus of $1.7 billion.  January
exports were $4.0 billion less than the $20.4 billion in December, while
imports were $2.4 billion less than the $17.1 billion in December.

Revisions
     
Goods carry-over in January was $0.9 billion (1.6 percent) for exports and
$1.4 billion (1.6 percent) for imports.  For December, revised export carry-
over was $0.7 billion (1.1 percent), revised down from $1.0 billion (1.6
percent).  For December, revised import carry-over was $0.1 billion (0.1
percent), revised down from $1.1 billion (1.2 percent).

Services exports and imports for January through December 1999 were revised
to reflect BEA's quarterly U.S. international transactions accounts (ITA's),
which were released March 15, 2000 (see the Information on Goods and Services
section at the end of this release for the revision policy).  For July through
December 1999, the revised estimates are based on more complete source data
than were available previously.  For services exports, the largest revisions
were in travel and other private services.  For services imports, the largest
revisions were in other private services, travel, and direct defense
expenditures.  In addition, all months of 1999 include revisions from forcing
the seasonally adjusted monthly estimates to sum to the quarterly and annual
totals in the ITA's.  For December, services exports were revised up $0.2
billion; the revision was largely accounted for by a revision in other private
services.  Services imports were revised down $0.8 billion; the revision is
mostly accounted for by revisions in other private services, travel, and direct
defense expenditures.

Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 1  International Trade in Goods and Services. . . . . . ...........4

Exhibit 2  Goods and Services Centered Three - Month Moving Averages.......5

Exhibit 3  U.S. Services by Major Category--Exports . . . . . .............6

Exhibit 4  U.S. Services by Major Category--Imports . . . . . .............7

Exhibit 5  U.S. Trade in Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............8         

Exhibit 6  Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category......9

Exhibit 7  Exports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity ............10

Exhibit 8  Imports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity ............12

Exhibit 9  Petroleum and Non-Petroleum End-Use Category Totals ...........14

Exhibit 10 Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use
           Category (Constant Dollars) . . . . . . . .....................15

Exhibit 11 Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum and Non-
           Petroleum End-Use Commodity Category Totals
           (Constant Dollars).............................................16

Not Seasonally Adjusted

Exhibit 12 U.S. Trade in Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............17

Exhibit 13 Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use Category.....18


Exhibit 14 Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods by Selected  
           Countries and Areas   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...........19

Exhibit 15 Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal SITC Commodity
           Groupings......................................................21

Exhibit 16 Exports, Imports, and Balance of Advanced Technology
           Products.......................................................23

Exhibit 17 Imports of Energy - Related Petroleum Products, 
           Including Crude Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...........24

Exhibit 18 Exports and Imports of Motor Vehicles and Parts By
           Selected Countries.............................................25

Information on Goods and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...........26

SOURCE: Report FT900 (CB-00-46), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, January 2000.  For more information, contact Haydn R. 
        Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), Foreign 
        Trade Division.