The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in America’s import purchases during 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into the US.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, the most valuable US import product is cars followed by crude oil, mobile phones, computers, auto parts then medication mixes in dosage.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: US$356.8 billion (14.8% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $349.1 billion (14.5%)
3. Vehicles : $294.6 billion (12.2%)
4. Mineral fuels including oil: $204.2 billion (8.5%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $96.4 billion (4%)
6. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $86.2 billion (3.6%)
7. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $67.2 billion (2.8%)
8. Gems, precious metals: $60 billion (2.5%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: $54.9 billion (2.3%)
10. Organic chemicals: $46.1 billion (1.9%)

America’s imports of mineral fuels including oil had the fastest-growing increase in value among the top 10 import categories, up 25.2% from 2016 to 2017. This gain was propelled by higher purchases of crude and refined petroleum oils as well as petroleum gas.

In second place for expanding import purchases was machinery including computers via a 10.7% uptick.

American imports of plastics delivered the third-fastest improvement up 9%.

Two import product categories declined year over year, namely gems and precious metals (down -8.2%) led by reduced purchases of gold and diamonds and organic chemicals (down -7.4%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.

In 2017, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment:

1. Phone system devices including smartphones: US$113.1 billion (up 7.7% from 2016)
2. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $33.5 billion (up 8.9%)
3. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $24.6 billion (up 5.2%)
4. Insulated wire/cable: $20.2 billion (up 4.2%)
5. Electrical converters/power units: $14.2 billion (up 0.7%)
6. TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $11.9 billion (up 12.1%)
7. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $11.3 billion (up 6.5%)
8. Unrecorded sound media: $11.3 billion (up 28.9%)
9. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $10.9 billion (up 4.4%)
10. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $10.7 billion (down -22.8%)

Among these import subcategories, America’s purchases of unrecorded sound media (up 28.9%), TV receivers, transmitters, and digital cameras (up 12.1%) and integrated circuits or microassemblies (up 8.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among US businesses and consumers.

In 2017, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery:

1. Computers, optical readers: US$84.9 billion (up 9.3% from 2016)
2. Turbo-jets: $23.7 billion (up 7.8%)
3. Computer parts, accessories: $23 billion (up 41.1%)
4. Printing machinery: $17 billion (down -1.7%)
5. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $14.9 billion (up 8.1%)
6. Air or vacuum pumps: $11.3 billion (up 10%)
7. Piston engines: $11.1 billion (up 0.4%)
8. Liquid pumps and elevators: $10.6 billion (up 10.6%)
9. Piston engine parts: $9.4 billion (up 1.6%)
10. Refrigerators, freezers: $9.2 billion (up 5.3%)

Among these import subcategories, America’s purchases of computer parts or accessories (up 41.1%), liquid pumps and elevators (up 10.6%) and air or vacuum pumps (up 10%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among US businesses and consumers.

In 2017, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles:

1. Cars: US$179.6 billion (up 3.6% from 2016)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $66.6 billion (up 0.2%)
3. Trucks: $26.5 billion (up 5.3%)
4. Tractors: $9.1 billion (up 11.8%)
5. Trailers: $3.6 billion (up 17.2%)
6. Motorcycles: $2.3 billion (up 8.7%)
7. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $1.5 billion (up 3.9%)
8. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $1.4 billion (down -3.2%)
9. Public-transport vehicles: $1.1 billion (up 15.9%)
10. Automobile bodies: $898.2 million (down -2.5%)

Among these import subcategories, America’s purchases of trailers (up 17.2%), public-transport vehicles (up 15.9%) and tractors (up 11.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among US businesses and consumers.

In 2017, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products:

1. Crude oil: US$139.1 billion (up 28.7% from 2016)
2. Processed petroleum oils: $48 billion (up 16.2%)
3. Petroleum gases: $11.5 billion (up 33%)
4. Electrical energy: $2.4 billion (up 8.4%)
5. Petroleum oil residues: $1.1 billion (up 42.4%)
6. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $658.5 million (down -5.8%)
7. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $481.8 million (down -1.6%)
8. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $438.7 million (up 5.4%)
9. Peat: $365.8 million (up 7.2%)
10. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $89.6 million (up 65.5%)

Among these import subcategories, America’s purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 65.5%), petroleum oil residues (up 42.4%) and petroleum gases (up 33%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported energy supplies among US businesses and consumers.