After a nearly three-year streak of year-over-year gains, California exporters are seeing a streak heading in a different direction.
California businesses shipped goods valued at $12.87 billion in September, down about 4.5 percent from $13.49 billion in September 2011, according to an analysis of today's U.S. Commerce Department trade figures by Beacon Economics, a consulting firm with offices in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
It was the third straight month that California exports saw a year-over-year decline.
July marked the end of a 32-month streak of gains.
On the import side, California took in $31.41 billion in September, up from $30.86 billion in September last year. Some goods entering California go to other states, so exports are considered a more accurate measure of the state's trade health.
Nationally, the U.S. trade declined to its lowest level in nearly two years as September exports rose to a record high.
The Commerce Department said the August deficit of $44.2 billion narrowed to $41.5 billion in September.
Exports of U.S. goods and services rose 3.1 percent to an all-time high of $187 billion. Officials cited strong sales of commercial aircraft, heavy machinery and farm goods.
Imports rose 1.5 percent to $228.5 billion.
Read more Friday in The Sacramento Bee and at Sacbee.com.
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