There is a legal mandate to publish foreign trade statistics. Title 13, Chapter 9 of the U.S. Code directs the Secretary of Commerce to collect, compile, and publish foreign trade statistics on a monthly and cumulative basis. The Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division, is responsible for publishing the statistics.
The primary objective of the foreign trade statistical program is to produce the U.S. trade figures and other detailed import and export trade figures on a monthly basis. We must release this information on a pre-scheduled date each month, without exception.
We meet these requirements through the release of the highly publicized U.S. International Trade In Goods and Services report, commonly referred to as the FT900. The balance of trade figures, along with other various detailed foreign trade data, are released about 45 days after the statistical month covered.
The information under this menu provides the actual FT900 reports for the current month and year, as well as previous years. If you have questions or comments on this report, please send an e-mail to Richard_M_Preuss_at_FTD1@smtp-gw.census.gov.