U.S. Energy Exports Show First Surplus Since at Least the 1970s

Trade deficits have been a stubborn feature of the U.S. economy for decades now, but energy has started to buck that trend, helped by burgeoning shipments of liquefied natural gas.

The net merchandise trade value of U.S. energy products (in other words, the value of all types of energy exports, minus the value of imports) showed a surplus of $27 billion last year. It’s the first time that’s happened since at least 1974, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, citing U.S. Census Bureau data.