Trade exchange between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States declined by 16 per cent to $5.43 billion (Dhs19.9 billion) during the first half of this year compared with $6.49 billion (Dhs23.81 billion) during the same period last year. According to the United States Bureau of Statistics, the value of the UAE's imports from the United States declined by 17 per cent to $4.8 billion (Dhs17.62 billion) during the first half of this year, down from nearly $5.8 billion (Dhs21.3 billion) during the first half of 2006. The UAE's exports to the United States also declined by 8 per cent from $687.4 million (Dhs2.5 billion) during the first half of 2006 to $625.8 million (Dhs2.3 billion) during the first half of this year, ‘The Gulf Today' reported citing these figures. Trade deficit between the UAE and the United States thereby slumped by 18 per cent to $4.187 billion (Dhs15.34 billion) in the first six months of this year compared with nearly $5.1 billion (Dhs18.76 billion) in the same period last year, the UAE news agency "WAM" quoted these figures as saying.
