Top San Francisco Trading Partners

Top US Trading Partners

San Francisco’s trade increases 2.00 percent through March

San Francisco’s trade with the world rose to $28,814,883,886 through the first three months of 2012, according to a WorldCity analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. That’s 2.00 percent increases the Customs district’s total trade during the same time period last year. The district’s exports decreased -1.07 percent while imports rose 4.50 percent.

Through March the district’s top trade partners were No. 1 China, No. 2 Japan, No. 3 South Korea, No. 4 Taiwan and No. 5 Saudi Arabia. Through the first three months of the last year, top five spots were held by China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore, respectively.

Taking a closer look at the leading trade partners with San Francisco:

• No.1 China’s trade fell -3.21 percent to $5,352,435,693.
  Exports fell -3.61 percent to $1,444,461,180. Imports fell -3.07 percent to $3,907,974,513.
• No.2 Japan’s trade fell -5.51 percent to $4,408,110,000.
  Exports fell -7.41 percent to $2,115,901,984. Imports fell -3.70 percent to $2,292,208,016.
• No.3 South Korea’s trade rose 4.75 percent to $2,129,484,704.
  Exports rose 25.25 percent to $1,404,112,271. Imports fell -20.45 percent to $725,372,433.
• No.4 Taiwan’s trade fell -5.85 percent to $1,978,076,129.
  Exports fell -9.46 percent to $1,120,687,907. Imports fell -0.67 percent to $857,388,222.
• No.5 Saudi Arabia’s trade rose 38.33 percent to $1,824,173,441.
  Exports rose 12.82 percent to $62,482,385. Imports rose 39.45 percent to $1,761,691,056.

San Francisco’s top five trading partners through March accounted for 54.46 percent of its trade with the world. The U.S. average for the same period was 52.49 percent.

San Francisco had trade surpluses with 133 countries and deficits with 65 through March. That compares with 131 surpluses and 64 deficits for the same period one year earlier. The top three surpluses through March of this year were with Hong Kong, $724,693,558; South Korea, $678,739,838; and Chile, $323,712,288. The top three deficits were with China ($2,463,513,333), Saudi Arabia ($1,699,208,671) and Colombia ($390,472,002).

Meanwhile, total U.S. trade increased to $934,379,177,983, up 8.63 percent compared to the same period last year. The nation’s exports climbed 3.54 percent to $30,467,217,700 as imports rose 5.09 percent to $43,800,507,934. The nation’s top five trade districts so far this year, by value, are New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Detroit and Laredo. The overall trade deficit was $-171,264,242,143, up compared to the same period of last year when the deficit was $-157,930,951,909.

San Francisco’s top five exports by value through March were electronic integrated circuits; almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, etc.; machinery, parts for semiconductor manufacturing; oil, not crude; and computers, in that order. Those accounted for 33.19 percent of its total outbound trade. The value of the district’s top five imports, oil, electronic integrated circuits, motor vehicles for transporting people and computerscomputer parts and , accounted for 42.49 percent of all inbound shipments.

Looking more closely at San Francisco exports:

• Electronic integrated circuits fell -6.71 percent compared to last year to $1,186,506,120.
• Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, etc. rose 29.66 percent compared to last year to $831,301,928.
• Machinery, parts for semiconductor manufacturing rose 21.32 percent compared to last year to $815,123,492.
• Oil, not crude rose 40.12 percent compared to last year to $779,971,526.
• Computers fell -16.17 percent compared to last year to $546,497,707.

On the import side:

• Oil rose 45.85 percent compared to last year to $3,103,523,078.
• Electronic integrated circuits fell -19.20 percent compared to last year to $1,321,353,808.
• Motor vehicles for transporting people rose 55.66 percent compared to last year to $949,478,053.
• Computers rose 4.85 percent compared to last year to $929,938,875.
• Computer parts fell -23.76 percent compared to last year to $614,640,497.

Last year the San Francisco district posted total trade with the world of $119,522,331,559. The district’s deficit was $-19,895,427,845. At year end, the region’s top five partners were China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Exports totaled $49,813,451,857 and imports came to $69,708,879,702.