NAFTA surface trade down 2.9%

Month-to-month value fell 4.0% in November

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 2.9 percent lower in November 2009 than in November 2008, dropping to $58.9 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 4.0 percent in November 2009 from October 2009; month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.

U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $23.9 billion in November, up 4.4 percent compared to November 2008.

U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $35.0 billion in November, down 7.2 percent compared to November 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 6.1 percent lower in November 2009 compared to November 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 1.8 percent lower. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in November with $4.3 billion.

U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $23.9 billion in November, up 4.4 percent compared to November 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 11.5 percent higher in November 2009 compared to November 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 1.7 percent higher. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in November with $8.2 billion.

The TransBorder Freight Data are a subset of official U.S. foreign trade statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau. New data are tabulated monthly, and historical data are not adjusted for inflation. Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land.

Key manufacturing index surges

A key indicator of manufacturing activity in January reached its highest level since August 2004. The Institute of Supply Management’s PMI rose for the sixth straight month in January to 58.4 percent, 3.5 percentage points above the December level. A PMI above 50 percent means the manufacturing sector is expanding.