Meltdown 101: Trade deficit, by the numbers

WASHINGTON — The trade deficit crept up a bit in April, which might make you suspect that Americans are buying more stuff made overseas. But it’s not as simple as that — in fact, the country’s deep recession has further curbed Americans’ appetite for foreign goods.

Curbed indeed — beer, wine and many types of food are among the imports that fell in April.

The recession has sent both imports and exports falling sharply over the past nine months. The trade deficit narrowed for months because what America buys from other countries — imports — fell faster than exports, the goods and services that America sells abroad. But recently imports have stopped falling as fast because of higher oil prices, causing the trade gap to creep back up.

Here is a look at some of the details buried in Wednesday’s report on the trade balance.

THE BIG NUMBERS

$121.1 billion: Overall exports of U.S. goods and services in April, the lowest monthly number since July 2006. The 2.2 percent drop was the ninth consecutive monthly decline. Exports are down 26.3 percent from their all-time high, hit in July 2008.

$150.3 billion: Overall imports of goods and services in April, the lowest level since September 2004. The 1.4 percent drop was the ninth consecutive monthly decline. Imports are down 34.5 percent from their all-time high, set in July 2008.

$29.2 billion: The trade deficit in April, up 2.2 percent from March. The difference between exports and imports had fallen to a nine-year low in February, but has risen slightly over the past two months. That mostly reflects higher oil prices, which prop up the import number.

IMPORT DETAILS

$70.3 billion: Foreign petroleum bill this year through April, down 54 percent from same period in 2008.

$42.9 billion: Foreign autos and auto parts through April, down 49.5 percent from same period in 2008.

$27.1 billion: Foreign food and beverages through April, down 6.3 percent from same period in 2008, with declines registered in almost all food categories from meat and dairy products to beer, wine and liquor.

EXPORT DETAILS

$23.4 billion: Autos and auto parts this year through April, down 43.4 percent from same period in 2008.

$12.3 billion: Civilian aircraft, up 5.9 percent from same period in 2009.

$29.3 billion: Food and beverages, down 20 percent from same period in 2009.

TRADE TRENDS

$361.1 billion: Annualized rate for trade deficit in first four months of 2009.

$695.9 billion: 2008 trade deficit.

$701.4 billion: 2007 trade deficit.

$753.3 billion: 2006 deficit, the fifth straight annual trade gap to set an all-time high.

HOLD THE BLING

$3.6 billion: Drop in imported gem diamonds in the first four months of this year, from a year earlier.

$1.4 billion: Drop in imported jewelry during the same period

NO MORE FUN AND GAMES

$221 million: Drop in imported toys, games and sporting goods in April.

$103 million: Drop in imported writing and art supplies in April.

$37 million: Drop in imports of books.

CANCEL THE HOME MAKEOVER

$22 million: Drop in imported furniture and household goods in April.

$23 million: Drop in imported household appliances in April.

COUCH POTATOES MAKE DO

$2 billion: Drop in imported TVs and VCRs in the first four months of this year, compared to a year earlier.

$298 million: Drop in imported CDs, tapes and records during the same period.