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Exports, Imports and Trade Balance
Key Trends
- The overall U.S. trade deficit in energy-related products increased by 15 percent to $280.2 billion, primarily because of increasing prices for crude petroleum, which is the feedstock for the production of refined petroleum products. While the value of energy-related products increased, the quantity of natural gas imported remained level while the quantity of crude petroleum imported declined.
- The energy-related products with the largest year-to-year shifts, in terms of value, included increased U.S. exports of petroleum products and increased imports of crude petroleum and petroleum products.
- Exports of petroleum products increased by 44 percent to $26.4 billion as a result of the rise in the average per barrel price for crude petroleum on the world market.
- Imports of crude petroleum increased by 25 percent to $171.2 billion and imports of petroleum products increased by 15 percent to $89.4 billion. The increases were a result of increasing prices, as the quantities imported actually declined.
Trade Shifts in 2006 from 2005
- U.S. trade deficit: Increased $36.9 billion (15 percent) to $280.2 billion
- U.S. exports: Increased $9.1billion (31 percent) to $39.0 billion
- U.S. imports: Increased $46.0 billion (17 percent) to $319.2 billion
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