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In 2004 the United States incurred a record merchandise trade deficit of $651 billion on a Census basis and $665 billion on a balance-of-payments basis (BoP). A surplus in services trade of $48 billion gave a deficit of $617 billion on goods and services (BoP) for the year -- up $121 billion or 24.3% from the $496.5 billion deficit in 2003. In 2004, U.S. exports of goods and services totaled $1.147 trillion, compared with $1.020 trillion in 2003 and $0.975 trillion in 2002. In 2004, U.S. imports were $1.764 trillion, compared with $1.517 trillion in 2003, and $1.387 trillion (balance of payments basis) in 2002. Since 1976, the United States has incurred continual merchandise trade deficits. They increased dramatically from $36.5 billion in 1982 to a peak in 1987 at $159.6 billion. The deficit dropped to $74.1 billion in 1991 but rose to $436.1 billion in 2000 and to $532 billion in 2003. (Census basis). Overall U.S. trade deficits reflect a shortage of savings in the domestic economy and a reliance on capital imports to finance that shortfall. Capital inflows serve to offset the outflow of dollars to pay for imports. Movements in the exchange rate also help to balance...