Imports of materials by manufacturers contracted during January as the Imports Index registered 36.5 percent, 2.5 percentage points lower than the 39 percent reported in December. This is the 12th consecutive month of contraction in imports.
None of the 18 manufacturing industries reported growth in imports during the month of January. The industries that reported decreases in imports are: Primary Metals; Furniture & Related Products; Paper Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Wood Products; Machinery; Transportation Equipment; Plastics & Rubber Products; Chemical Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Fabricated Metal Products; and Nonmetallic Mineral Products.
| Imports |
%
|
%Higher | %Same | %Lower | Net | Index | ||||||||||||
| Jan 2009 | 84 | 10 | 53 | 37 | -27 | 36.5 | ||||||||||||
| Dec 2008 | 84 | 11 | 56 | 33 | -22 | 39.0 | ||||||||||||
| Nov 2008 | 83 | 8 | 59 | 33 | -25 | 37.5 | ||||||||||||
| Oct 2008 | 79 | 8 | 66 | 26 | -18 | 41.0 |
