Posted on 10/21/2014 10:57:27 PM PDT by Citizen Zed
Container traffic gives us an idea about the volume of goods being exported and imported - and possibly some hints about the trade report for September since LA area ports handle about 40% of the nation's container port traffic.
Usually imports peak in the July to October period as retailers import goods for the Christmas holiday, and then decline sharply and bottom in February or March (depending on the timing of the Chinese New Year).
Imports were up 10.6% year-over-year in September, exports were down 5.6% year-over-year.
This might suggest retailers are expecting a happy holiday season.
(Excerpt) Read more at calculatedriskblog.com ...
It suggests a rising dollar, as that makes imports cheaper, and exports more expensive to foreign buyers.
The bloated supercargo ships are backed up bumper to bumper to Communist China.....Gotta stock those shelves with cheap tinfoil tools and all those doggy yum yums from Poonjab. Something under everyone’s tree.
suggest to me that USA needs to quit buying so many dam imported products and start producing it here! but wait. we don’t need no stinking jobs! EVERYTHING is free in lala lib land! /s
Mike
It’s always been this way Mr. McBride. Nothing in these figures is to be mistaken for improved economy. Year in, year out this is what happens. Import like crazy for the holidays, and then everything falls flat through tax season. Shipping picks up again after tax season every year just like clockwork.
Dollar strength. It’s hurting the manufacturing on-shoring that has been occurring for the past few years by making foreign goods cheaper.
The environmental lobby is a big part of it, but I suspect lobbyists swing more weight.
A trade “deficit” is a liberal myth perpetuated by fools. There’s no such thing as a trade “deficit” unless the trade happens by coercion.
Look up mercantilism.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.