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Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: carranza2 who wrote (25920)	12/1/2007 9:38:06 PM
From: elmatador	Respond to of 217711

Colorado shows the trend where tech products exports are down but materials, agricultural products are booming. Weakness in technology sector overpowers benefit of falling dollar The Rocky Friday, November 30, 2007 The good news about the sliding U.S. dollar is that exporters' products are cheaper and more attractive in global markets. So why are Colorado's exports slumping? The positive impact of the weaker dollar has been outweighed by declines in a key segment of Colorado's exports: technology. As a result, state exports are expected to finish the year down 8 percent to 10 percent, the first drop in five years, while U.S. exports are set to post a strong gain. The flip side is that many exporters benefit from greater demand, giving the economy a lift. Colorado's exports of beef to Mexico and Canada have surged, along with pork, bean and cheese sales to other nations. Shipments of molybdenum, a metal for hardening steel, have risen sharply, too. But chip makers account for the largest chunk of state exports, and when the industry slips it can drag overall sales down with it. Exports in that area fell more than 30 percent in the first nine months of 2007 compared with the same period last year. At the same time, the country's exports climbed 11 percent. Reis said commodities such as agricultural products get a lift from the weaker dollar. Specialty goods, like computer chips, are less likely to benefit, he said. While the export drop underscores the need for diversification and the heavy reliance the state still has on the tech sector, it is not cause for concern, Reis said. "The opportunities will continue to be out there as long as the dollar is weak," he said. Defying the trend A weaker dollar typically benefits companies selling products overseas, making their goods cheaper, but it isn't lifting Colorado exports this year. Semiconductors, or electronic integrated circuits as they appear on the list, have dropped, taking the total state export figure down with them. What's down Product First nine months of 2006 First nine months of 2007 Change Total Colorado exports $5.92 billion $5.51 billion -7 percent Electronic integrated circuits $960.4 million $661.7 million -31 percent Data processing machines $671.1 million $374.4 million -44 percent Beef $191.5 million $191.1 million -0.2 percent Product First nine months of 2006 First nine months of 2007 Change Medical, surgical, dental devices $163.7 million $232.4 million 42 percent Animal guts, bladders, stomachs $35.3 million $128.8 million 265 percent Molybdenum ores and concentrates $40.3 million $105.3 million 162 percent Pork $55.6 million $72.7 million 31 percent Sources: World Trade Center Denver, Wisertrade What's Up