U.S. Book Trade Registers $323 Million Surprise in 1989.

UNITED States. Dept. of Commerce ; CAHNERS Economics (Company)

This article reports on the latest developments in books exports in the U.S. as of June 1990. According to the latest figures from the Commerce Department, book exports hit a record level of $ 1.1 billion last year, surpassing the 1998 total by more than 21 percent. Book exports have benefited from low value of the dollar. The dollar appreciated a slight 1.7 percent in 1989, as measured by trade-weighted index of 18 major currencies. Cahners Economics forecast a stable dollar in 1990, almost unchanged from its average 1989 level. By type of book, the U.S. exported $ 383 million in technical, scientific and hardbound trade books. Major suppliers of books to this country are United Kingdom, Japan, Hon Kong, Italy and Canada. Other large important categories include technical, scientific, and professional books, textbooks and children's books. Imports of dictionaries and encyclopedia's totaled nearly $ 10 million last year.