January U.S. exports reach $192.5 billion

   The U.S. Commerce Department on Friday reported that the country’s exports of goods and services for January reached $192.5 billion, up from $191.3 billion in December.
   “U.S. exports are off to a solid start in 2014, and we will build on that success in the months and years ahead,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in a statement.
   “Exports supported 11.3 million jobs nationwide last year, and we’re working hard to ensure more U.S. communities benefit from the job opportunities and economic benefits that come from exporting companies,” she added.
   Since President Obama launched the National Export Initiative (NEI) in 2010, the United States has seen an increase of 1.6 million export-supported jobs. The initiative promotes exports by improving trade promotion and advocacy, reducing barriers and enforcing trade rules. The United States exported a record $2.3 trillion dollars last year, up nearly $700 billion from 2009, the Commerce Department said.