U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
NEWS
U.S. Department of Commerce · Washington, D.C. 20230
                                                            
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8:30 A.M. EDT FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2006

For information on goods contact:       For information on services contact:
U.S. Census Bureau:                     U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Nick Orsini    (301) 763-6959           Technical: Christopher Bach   (202) 606-9545
Vanessa Ware   (301) 763-2311           Media:      Ralph Stewart     (202) 606-2649

CB06-74, BEA06-19, FT-900 (06-03)
                         
U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
March 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 March exports of
$114.7 billion and imports of $176.7 billion resulted in
a goods and services deficit of $62.0 billion, $3.6 billion
less than the $65.6 billion in February, revised.  March
exports were $2.1 billion more than February exports of
$112.5 billion.  March imports were $1.5 billion less than
February imports of $178.2 billion.
                                                                 
In March, the goods deficit decreased $3.1 billion from
February to $66.7 billion, and the services surplus increased
$0.5 billion to $4.7 billion.  Exports of goods increased $1.7
billion to $82.1 billion, and imports of goods decreased $1.4
billion to $148.8 billion.  Exports of services increased $0.4
billion to $32.6 billion, and imports of services decreased
$0.1 billion to $27.8 billion.

In March, the goods and services deficit was up $8.3 billion
from March  2005.  Exports were up $11.9 billion, or 11.6
percent, and imports were up $20.2 billion, or 12.9 percent.
     
Goods

The February to March change in exports of goods reflected
increases in industrial supplies and materials ($1.2 billion); 
capital goods ($0.5 billion);  foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.2 
billion); and consumer goods ($0.2 billion).  A decrease 
occurred in automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.4
billion).  Other goods were virtually unchanged.

The February to March change in imports of goods reflected
decreases in industrial supplies and materials ($3.3 billion) 
and automotive vehicles, parts, and engines  ($0.8 billion).
Increases occurred in capital goods ($1.5 billion); consumer
goods  ($0.9 billion); and  foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.3
billion).  Other goods were virtually unchanged.

The March 2005 to March 2006 change in exports of
goods reflected increases in capital goods ($4.6 billion);
industrial supplies and materials ($3.3 billion); consumer goods
($1.1 billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.9
billion); foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.5 billion); and other
goods ($0.3 billion).
          
The March 2005 to March 2006 change in imports of goods
reflected increases in industrial supplies and materials ($6.8
billion); capital goods ($4.5 billion); consumer goods ($4.2 
billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($2.2 billion); 
foods, feeds, and beverages ($0.8 billion); and other goods ($0.4
billion).

Services

Services exports increased $0.4 billion from February to
March.  The largest increases were in other private services
(which includes items such as business, professional, and
technical services, insurance services, and financial services)
and travel.  Changes in other categories of services exports
were small.

Services imports decreased $0.1 billion from February to
March.  The decrease was more than accounted for by a
decrease in royalties and license fees, which had been
boosted in February by payments for broadcast rights for the
2006 Winter Olympic Games.  All other categories of
services imports increased.

From March 2005 to March 2006, services exports
increased $1.2 billion.  The largest increases were in other
private services ($1.2 billion) and other transportation,
which includes freight and port services ($0.3 billion).

From March 2005 to March 2006, services imports
increased $1.4 billion.  The largest increases were in other
private services ($1.0 billion), other transportation ($0.3
billion), and passenger fares ($0.2 billion).
                                                                   
Goods and Services Moving Average 

For the three months ending in March, exports of goods
and services averaged $113.8 billion, while imports of goods
and services averaged $179.2 billion, resulting in an average
trade deficit of $65.4 billion.   For the three months ending in
February, the average trade deficit was $66.4 billion,
reflecting average exports of $112.8 billion and average
imports of $179.2 billion.

Selected Not Seasonally Adjusted Goods Details 

The March figures showed surpluses, in billions of
dollars, with Hong Kong $1.0 ($0.6 for February), Australia
$0.7 ($0.7), Singapore $0.5 ($0.5), and Egypt $0.2 ($0.1).
Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China
$15.6  ($13.8 ),  Europe $11.2 ($9.8), the European Union
$10.1 ($8.3), OPEC $8.1 ($7.3), Japan $7.6 ($7.1), Mexico
$5.4 ($4.7), Canada $5.4 ($7.2), Taiwan $1.2 ($1.0), Korea
$0.7 ($1.2), and Brazil $0.7 ($0.6).

Advanced technology products (ATP) exports were
$22.9 billion in March and imports were $25.3 billion,
resulting in a deficit of  $2.5 billion.  March  exports were
$4.5 billion more than the $18.4 billion in February, while
imports were $5.5 billion more than the $19.8 billion in
February.

Revisions

Goods carry-over in March was $0.2 billion (0.2 
percent) for exports and $0.6 billion (0.4 percent) for
imports. For February , revised export carry-over was $0.1
billion (0.2 percent), revised down from $0.4 billion (0.5
percent). For February, revised import carry-over was $0.5
billion (0.3 percent), revised down from $1.2 billion (0.9
percent).

Services exports for February were revised down $0.4
billion to $32.1 billion; the revision was more than
accounted for by downward revisions in travel and
passenger fares.  Services imports for February were revised
down $0.2 billion to $28.0 billion; the revision was more
than accounted for by downward revisions in travel and
passenger fares.

Table of Contents

Seasonally Adjusted                                                

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

Exhibit 2   U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services 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  Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum and
Non-Petroleum End-Use Category Totals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Exhibit 10 Real Exports and Imports of Goods by Principal End-Use
Category (2000 Chain-weighted dollars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Exhibit 11 Real Exports, Imports, and Balance of Goods, Petroleum 
and Non-Petroleum End-Use Commodity Category Totals (2000 Chain-
weighted 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 
Commodities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
             
Exhibit 16  Exports, Imports, and Balance of Advanced Technology 
Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Exhibit 16a Exports, Imports, and Balance of Advanced Technology 
Products by Technology Group and Selected Countries and Areas .  24

Exhibit 17  Imports of Energy - Related Petroleum Products, 
Including Crude Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .25

Exhibit 18  Exports and Imports of Motor Vehicles and Parts By 
Selected Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Information on Goods and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

SOURCE: Report FT900 (CB-06-74, BEA-06-19), Bureau of the Census, Foreign 
Trade Division, March 2006.  For more information, contact Nick Orsini 
(301-763-6959) or Vanessa Ware (301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division.