U.S. international economic relations have never been more important than in today''s global economy. The world trade patterns that were once relegated to the realm of academics have moved to a prominent position in discussions among the general public and media. U.S exports make a contribution to the economies of most state and local areas, while imports allow the U.S. consumer to choose from a wide variety of goods and services. Price competition restrains inflation but noticeably impacts the domestic jobs and profits of companies that are subject to competition. Bernan Press is pleased to introduce the third edition of United States Foreign Trade Highlights-the first edition in ten years. It brings together a wealth of information to assist users in assessing trends in U.S. international trade. This publication includes data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the International Trade Administration. United States Foreign Trade Highlights has five sections, each of which highlights a particular facet of U.S. foreign trade. Sections A-D provide information on the U.S. economy as a whole, while Section E examines export and import activity at the state level. In addition, the data is complemented by concise summaries, figures, and tables. The uses of data found in United States Foreign Trade Highlights are numerous. They show historical trends in trade in goods and services, reveal how well the United States is doing in trade with its chief foreign competitors, and provide a source of information on how trade affects both the country as a whole and each individual state.