NAFTA trade jumps 32.4% in April
U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico continued to boom in April compared to the same month in 2009, rising 32.4 percent to $65.8 billion, according to figures released Tuesday by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The Transportation Department agency said it was the third consecutive month in which trade grew 24 percent or more between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners.
The comparisons to 2009 can be misleading because the gains are off such a low base due to the economic downturn. In fact, the value of NAFTA trade was 11.4 percent less than in April 2008.
The BTS counted a 5.9 percent decrease in freight value crossing the two U.S. land borders from March through April 2010. Month-to-month comparisons can be impacted by seasonal variations and other factors.
U.S.'Canada surface transportation trade totaled $39.9 billion in April, up 32.1 percent compared to a year ago. U.S.'Mexico surface transportation trade increased 32.8 percent to $25.9 billion.
