“Is America actually importing less, or does it just feel that way?”
asked by Mrigank Singh · re-verified 2026-08-07
The number it created
The import bill fell $102B in a year — but the cargo fell only 3.5%. $72B of the fall is the same goods declaring less value, and China is −$101.7B of the −$102B.
Declared value of US containerised imports, monthly — while weight stayed near-flat.
What it does not say
It does not say Americans are buying less: by weight, 2024 and 2025 tie as the biggest import years in the record.
· the full record
Using the Trimtab tools, compare the last 12 months of total US containerised import value and weight against the year before. Is the decline volume or price?
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“Is America actually importing less, or does it just feel that way?”
The import bill fell $102B in a year — but the cargo fell only 3.5%. $72B of the fall is the same goods declaring less value, and China is −$101.7B of the −$102B.
It does not say Americans are buying less: by weight, 2024 and 2025 tie as the biggest import years in the record.
I asked the Trimtab US Trade Ledger — open, no key, no account. Ask it something we
haven’t: https://trimtabist.com/asked/importing-less
(via Mrigank Singh — engagement 01 on the board) #Trimtabist