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Import Trends

"What the country bought from abroad last month, against the same month a year earlier. Each chapter is a demand curve for an industry, and it is published before most of the companies in it report."

Biggest movers

Sorted by the change against a year earlier, in either direction. The level is not the story.

CommodityImportedChange
CopperChapter 742026-08$3.4B+97.9%
Aircraft and SpacecraftChapter 882026-08$3.3B+83.0%
Pearls, Precious Stones and JewelryChapter 712026-08$8.5B+82.9%
Ships and BoatsChapter 892026-08$122.9M-77.0%
Other Base Metals and CermetsChapter 812026-08$499.8M+65.2%
Machinery, Boilers and Nuclear ReactorsChapter 842026-08$89.5B+61.6%
ZincChapter 792026-08$274.5M+59.7%
SilkChapter 502026-08$6.4M+51.9%
AluminumChapter 762026-08$2.8B+51.3%
Animal and Vegetable Fats and OilsChapter 152026-08$1.8B+49.0%
Electrical Machinery and ElectronicsChapter 852026-08$58.3B+47.0%
Dairy and EggsChapter 042026-08$426.8M+41.6%
Furskins and Artificial FurChapter 432026-08$23.9M+40.8%
Arms and AmmunitionChapter 932026-08$380.3M+39.1%
Cereals and GrainsChapter 102026-08$284.8M+37.5%
MeatChapter 022026-08$1.9B+35.4%
Special Import Reporting ProvisionsChapter 992026-08$3.4B+32.0%
LeadChapter 782026-08$79.8M-31.6%
Salt, Sulfur, Stone and CementChapter 252026-08$541.9M+31.2%
Books and Printed MatterChapter 492026-08$552.9M+30.3%
Explosives, Fireworks and MatchesChapter 362026-08$50M-29.0%
Ores, Slag and AshChapter 262026-08$348.2M+27.3%
NickelChapter 752026-08$315.6M+22.8%
Live Plants and Cut FlowersChapter 062026-08$240.3M+21.8%
Mineral Fuels and OilsChapter 272026-08$21.4B+20.7%
Fish and SeafoodChapter 032026-08$1.8B+20.2%
Umbrellas and Walking SticksChapter 662026-08$31.7M+19.9%
Prepared Meat and FishChapter 162026-08$670.8M+19.9%
Glass and GlasswareChapter 702026-08$854.1M+18.2%
Wool and Animal HairChapter 512026-08$24.6M+17.6%
Clocks and WatchesChapter 912026-08$371.3M-17.6%
Feathers and Artificial FlowersChapter 672026-08$178.2M+17.4%
Iron and SteelChapter 722026-08$2.2B+17.2%
Photographic and Cinematographic GoodsChapter 372026-08$140.4M+16.8%
Inorganic ChemicalsChapter 282026-08$1.8B+15.8%
Soap, Lubricants and WaxesChapter 342026-08$612.2M+15.8%
Cocoa and Cocoa PreparationsChapter 182026-08$842.1M-15.6%
Dyes, Pigments and PaintsChapter 322026-08$460.6M+15.1%
Miscellaneous Chemical ProductsChapter 382026-08$2.1B+14.5%
FertilizersChapter 312026-08$588.2M-14.2%
Tools and CutleryChapter 822026-08$1B+14.2%
Perfume and CosmeticsChapter 332026-08$1.8B+14.1%
Sugar and ConfectioneryChapter 172026-08$507.5M+13.0%
CottonChapter 522026-08$65M+13.0%
Miscellaneous Manufactured ArticlesChapter 962026-08$738.9M+12.7%
Manmade Staple FibersChapter 552026-08$129.8M+11.6%
Gums, Resins and Vegetable ExtractsChapter 132026-08$127.3M-11.5%
Beverages, Spirits and VinegarChapter 222026-08$2.3B+11.4%
Fruit and NutsChapter 082026-08$1.7B+11.2%
Organic ChemicalsChapter 292026-08$3.3B-11.1%
PlasticsChapter 392026-08$6.5B+11.0%
Railway Locomotives and Rolling StockChapter 862026-08$121.8M-10.9%
Vegetable Plaiting MaterialsChapter 142026-08$16M+10.7%
HeadgearChapter 652026-08$299.6M+9.9%
Manmade FilamentsChapter 542026-08$158.4M+9.6%
Milling Products, Malt and StarchesChapter 112026-08$194.1M+9.5%
Paper and PaperboardChapter 482026-08$1.7B+9.2%
Animal Feed and Food-industry ResiduesChapter 232026-08$461.1M+8.9%
Leather Goods and HandbagsChapter 422026-08$1.2B+8.4%
Tobacco and Nicotine ProductsChapter 242026-08$346.7M+8.4%
Optical and Medical InstrumentsChapter 902026-08$10.5B+8.3%
Coated and Laminated Textile FabricsChapter 592026-08$243.5M+8.3%
Preserved Fruit and VegetablesChapter 202026-08$1.3B+8.0%
Musical InstrumentsChapter 922026-08$115.8M+8.0%
Glues, Starches and EnzymesChapter 352026-08$309.5M+7.9%
Toys, Games and Sports EquipmentChapter 952026-08$3.9B+7.0%
Works of Art and AntiquesChapter 972026-08$673.8M+6.9%
TinChapter 802026-08$109.8M+6.8%
Wood Pulp and Recovered PaperChapter 472026-08$326.4M-6.7%
Vegetable Textile FibersChapter 532026-08$20.8M-6.4%
VehiclesChapter 872026-08$28.4B+6.2%
Miscellaneous Edible PreparationsChapter 212026-08$827.1M-6.1%
Cereal and Bakery ProductsChapter 192026-08$1.4B+5.6%
Miscellaneous Articles of Base MetalChapter 832026-08$1.3B+5.6%
Special Classification ProvisionsChapter 982026-08$10.2B+5.3%
Live AnimalsChapter 012026-08$226.1M+5.1%
Non-knitted ApparelChapter 622026-08$3B+4.9%
Special Woven Fabrics and LaceChapter 582026-08$75.2M+4.8%
Coffee, Tea and SpicesChapter 092026-08$1.2B+4.6%
Wadding, Felt, Twine and RopeChapter 562026-08$245M+4.0%
Wood and Wood CharcoalChapter 442026-08$1.7B+3.9%
Raw Hides, Skins and LeatherChapter 412026-08$36.4M+3.8%
Basketware and WickerworkChapter 462026-08$42.2M+2.8%
RubberChapter 402026-08$2.9B-2.8%
Pharmaceutical ProductsChapter 302026-08$13.5B+2.5%
Oil Seeds and Oleaginous FruitsChapter 122026-08$212.5M+2.1%
FootwearChapter 642026-08$2.5B+2.0%
Knitted ApparelChapter 612026-08$4.3B-1.9%
CorkChapter 452026-08$22.2M-1.8%
Furniture and LightingChapter 942026-08$5.2B-1.5%
Carpets and Textile Floor CoveringsChapter 572026-08$270.6M+1.4%
VegetablesChapter 072026-08$965.5M-1.4%
Animal ProductsChapter 052026-08$95.6M-1.2%
Made-up Textiles and Worn ClothingChapter 632026-08$1.4B+0.9%
Ceramic ProductsChapter 692026-08$615.1M-0.3%
Articles of Iron or SteelChapter 732026-08$3.2B+0.3%
Articles of Stone, Plaster and CementChapter 682026-08$766M+0.1%
Knitted and Crocheted FabricsChapter 602026-08$57M+0.0%

Source: US Census Bureau international trade data. Unlike everything else on this site, this is not company-level: Census aggregates before publishing, and identifying an individual importer needs bills of lading, which are not public. Read it as a signal about an industry, not about any company in it. Figures are general imports — everything that arrived, including goods held in bonded warehouses.

Related datasets

Macro DashboardMarket value to GDP, the yield curve, inflation and rates.Ports of EntryWhere imports actually arrive, and what clears there.Export SalesWhat farmers sold abroad, and who cancelled.Energy InventoriesCrude, gasoline, gas in storage — the weekly prints.