Total US goods trade (exports and imports) through California ports edged down to 17.87% (12 month moving average; compared to 17.90% in Jul 2019 and 18.21% in Aug 2018).

California remained the #1 state, ahead of Texas with 17.76% (compared to 17.72% in Jul 2019 and 17.37% in Aug 2018). Trade through the Atlantic port states was at 29.64% (compared to 29.61% in Jul 2019 and 29.38% in Aug 2018).  The gap between the two states, however, has been closing, with the stage set for a ranking reversal as took place in 2012.

The state’s continued lead in this area forms the trade-related base for one of California’s largest centers of middle-class, blue-collar jobs. Transportation & Warehousing alone provided 623,300 jobs in Aug (up from 610,300 in Aug 2018), paying an average annual salary of $63.5k. This employment base in turn supports additional blue-collar and white-collar jobs in a range of other industries.

Total California goods exports were down $0.3 billion from Aug 2018 (down 1.8%). California remained in 2nd place with 10.55% of all US goods exports (12 month moving total), behind Texas at 19.68%.  The spread between the two states has been widening since 2016.

California’s balance of goods trade through state businesses narrowed to -$20.4 billion, compared to a level of -$22.5 billion in Aug 2018. California trade accounted for 26% of the US trade deficit in goods in Aug 2019.