Overseas Merchandise Trade: February 2012

For February 2012 compared with February 2011:

• Exports were down $267 million (6.9 percent) to $3.6 billion.
• Crude oil, which tends to be irregular, recorded the largest decrease.
• Imports were down $244 million (6.6 percent) to $3.4 billion.
• The one-off importation of capital goods in February 2011 had a large influence on the total value of imports.
• There was a trade surplus of $161 million (4.5 percent of exports).
• The trend for export values remained at near record-high levels.
• The trend for import values is 7.7 percent below its peak in September 2008.