Monthly Trade Highlights

December 2011 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

	December 2011 (Billions of $)	November 2011 (Billions of $)	Percent Change from Prior Month	Last time the Increase/Decrease in Percent Change was larger/When it Occured
Goods and Services
Balance	-$48.8	-$47.1	3.7%	9.5% from October 2011 to November 2011
Exports	$178.8	$177.5	0.7%	1.4% from August 2011 to September 2011
Imports	$227.6	$224.6	1.3%	2.9% from April 2011 to May 2011
Goods (BOP Basis)
Balance	-$64.3	-$62.5	2.8%	7.3% from October 2011 to November 2011
Exports	$127.1	$126.2	0.7%	2.1% from August 2011 to September 2011
Imports	$191.4	$188.7	1.4%	3.3% from April 2011 to May 2011

 

Dollar Change From Prior Month

	December 2011 (Billions of $)	November 2011 (Billions of $)	Dollar Change From Prior Month	Last time the Increase/Decrease in Dollar Change was larger/When it Occured
Goods and Services
Balance	-$48.8	-$47.1	-$1.7	-$4.1 from October 2011 to November 2011
Exports	$178.8	$177.5	$1.2	$2.6 from August 2011 to September 2011
Imports	$227.6	$224.6	$3.0	$6.4 from April 2011 to May 2011
Goods (BOP Basis)
Balance	-$64.3	-$62.5	-$1.8	-$4.2 from October 2011 to November 2011
Exports	$127.1	$126.2	$0.9	$2.6 from August 2011 to September 2011
Imports	$191.4	$188.7	$2.7	$6.0 from April 2011 to May 2011

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• December exports of services ($51.7 billion) were the highest on record.
• December imports of services ($36.2 billion) were the highest on record.
• December imports of goods and services ($227.6 billion) were the second highest on record (July 2008, $231.6 billion).

Goods on a Census Basis (seasonally adjusted)

Exports

• December petroleum exports ($10.6 billion) were the highest on record.

Imports

• December imports of goods ($189.2 billion) were the highest since July 2008 ($194.3 billion).
• December imports of capital goods ($44.7 billion) were the highest on record.
• December imports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($22.7 billion) were the highest since December 2006 ($23.1 billion)

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

• The December deficit with Germany ($4.8 billion) was the highest on record.
• December exports of advanced technology products ($26.2 billion) were the highest on record.