Nafta Surface Trade Rises 2.9% in January

Surface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico rose 2.9% in January from the same month a year earlier, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday.

Surface trade among the North American Free Trade Agreement partners rose to $74 billion, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report.

Month-to-month trade, which is affected by seasonal factors, increased 9.7% from December, BTS said.

U.S.-Canada trade rose 2.3% year-over-year to $42.4 billion, while U.S.-Mexico trade increased 3.7% to $32 billion.

Truck imports to the United States from the two countries increased 1.6% year-over-year to $26 billion, and exports rose 4.3% to $28 billion.

Rail imports rose 8.2% to $8.4 billion, while exports dipped 1% to $4.5 billion. Pipeline imports dropped 3.6% to $6.5 billion, while exports rose almost 25% to $885 million.