Total US goods trade (exports and imports) through California ports edged down to 17.67% (12 month moving average; compared to 17.72% in Oct 2019 and 18.13% in Nov 2018).

California remained the #2 state, behind Texas with 17.79% (compared to 17.75% in Oct 2019 and 17.58% in Nov 2018). Trade through the Atlantic port states was at 29.86% (compared to 29.76% in Oct 2019 and 29.27% in Nov 2018).

The state’s continued prominence 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 646,800 jobs in Nov (up from 633,300 in Nov 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 $0.2 billion from Nov 2018 (down 1.5%). California remained in 2nd place with 10.54% of all US goods exports (12 month moving total), behind Texas at 19.88%.

California’s balance of goods trade through state businesses broadened to -$19.2 billion, compared to a level of -$22.6 billion in Nov 2018. California trade activity accounted for 31% of the US trade deficit in goods in Nov 2019.