MTSU: State exporters suffer tough first quarter of 2018

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Tennessee's exporters had a difficult first quarter, according to the latest "Global Commerce" report from MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center.

Exports were down 2.2 percent from a year ago (from $8.13 billion to $7.95 billion), ranking Tennessee a lowly 48thamong all the states in its export performance. Nationally, exports were up 8 percent year over year.

"The biggest problem was a steep fall in computer exports to Canada," said Steven Livingston, BERC associate director and a professor of political science and international relations at MTSU.

Computer exports dropped more than $250 million from 2017, a 60 percent loss.

"We expect this decline to persist over the next several quarters," he said. "Two other large sectors -- the medical equipment and automotive industries -- also saw very mediocre growth."

Livingston noted that the state's best markets for the first quarter were in Asia -- exports to China actually gained $100 million -- as well as Central and South American markets.

To read the full report, go to http://capone.mtsu.edu/berc/globalcommerce.html and click on the link for "Quarterly Trade Report - 1stQuarter 2018."

For more information, contact Livingston at 615-898-2720 or email steven.livingston@mtsu.edu.