Rising shipments of auto parts and recovering demand for furniture pushed U.S. containerized imports up 2.4 percent in December, capping a year in which volumes increased 3 percent.
December’s increase followed a 5.2 percent year-over gain in November. Imports in the fourth quarter increased 1.5 percent year-over-year. Eastbound trans-Pacific imports fell 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter.