Retet

• The market for products marketed on the basis of ethical standards, including organic, is thriving despite the recession, according to a report by PackagedFacts released in October 2009. “Our survey indicates that more shoppers understand the environmental, social, and economic implications of their choices. Theresult is a sizeable number of consumers who will purchase typically more expensive ethical products even in economically challenging times,” according to DonMontuori, publisher of Packaged Facts.
The UK is the United States' fifth largest trading partner overall and second largest trading partner in the EU (interms of goods). The USA is the UK's top export destination and second largest trading partner overall.
The UK is the largest foreign investor in the USA. At theend of 2008, the UK had investment stock of $454 billion in the USA. Annual bilateral trade volume (in goods) increased steadily through 2008, reaching arecord $112 billion that year ($58.6 billion from the UK to US, $53.8 billion from the US to the UK).
In 2008, the top four categories in which goods were tradedbetween the US and UK were:
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Machinery and transportation equipment (imports from UK: $17.7 billion; exports to UK: $20.4 billion)
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Chemicals andpharmaceuticals (imports from the UK: $15.5 billion; exports to the UK: $7.7 billion)
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Miscellaneous manufactured articles (imports from UK: $6.6 billion; exportsto UK: $9.5 billion)
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Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (imports from the UK: $8.5 billion; exports to the UK: $1.1 billion)
Economic