Monthly Trade Highlights

September 2008 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

Dollar Change From Prior Month

• The September deficit in goods and services ($56.5 billion) was the lowest since October 2007 ($56.3 billion).
• The September services surplus ($13.1 billion) was a record.

Goods on a Census Basis (seasonally adjusted)

Exports

• The August to September decline in exports of goods ($10.4 billion) was a record decline.

Imports

• The August to September decline in imports of goods ($12.1 billion) was a record decline.
• September imports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($18.6 billion) was the lowest since February 2004 ($18.5 billion).

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

• The September deficit with China ($27.8 billion) and September imports from China ($33.1 billion) were records.
• September exports to China ($5.3 billion) were the lowest since July 2007 ($4.8 billion).
• September exports to the European Union ($20.9 billion) were the lowest since December 2007 ($20.8 billion).
• September imports to OPEC ($19.1 billion) were the lowest since March 2008 ($18.7 billion).
• The September deficit of advanced technology products ($7.8 billion) was a record.
• September exports of advanced technology products ($21.6 billion) were the lowest since April 2007 ($20.6 billion).
• The September import quantity of crude oil (253.3 million barrels) was the lowest since February 2003 (250.3 million barrels).
• The August to September decrease in the average price per barrel of crude oil ($12.41) was a record.