Long Term Perspective

Export demand picked up between 2002 and 2004, spurred by a sharp drop in the trade-weighted dollar. Even as the FX value of the dollar increased in 2005, export demand remained relatively healthy. In 2006, 2007, and the first half of 2008 both a weaker dollar and a pick up in overseas economic growth kept export growth strong. But the bottom fell out from under exports during the second half of 2008 and into 2009 as the recession deepened worldwide. But exports turned up in 2009 on a month-ago basis, lessening the year-ago decline.  The year-ago pace actually turned positive in 2010 and continued into 2011.  However, growth slowed in latter 2011 through early due to problems in Europe (eventually recession) and deceleration of growth in Asia.  Slow growth continued into 2014.  Export demand depends both on the economic growth of our trading partners and on the value of the dollar.

 

 

Short Term Perspective

Year-on-year gains in exports turned negative during the past recession, based on weakened growth overseas.  But they largely had been on an uptrend from early 2009 through early 2012. However, merchandise export growth softened late in 2012 and into early 2015 due to a stronger dollar, weakness in Europe and slower growth in Asia.  

 

Merchandise exports were down 4.1 percent in January, following a decline of 2.0 percent the month before. Exports were down 3.9 percent on a year-on-year basis—down from minus 2.0 percent in December.  The dollar advanced 2.0 percent in February after rising 3.8 percent the month before.  The dollar was up 15.8 percent on a year-ago basis in February.