export

U.S. consumers already have been hit with higher prices for food and fuel. But the rising prices won't stop there. The weak dollar means that prices for imported goods -- and components -- are headed up, further boosting inflation.

The Group of Seven countries on Thursday agreed to intervene to reduce the value of the Japanese yen, which has surged to record levels after last week's earthquake and tsunami. A strong yen could cripple the country's exports and further damage its economy.

Since the mad cow scare of 2003, South Korea has been a tough market for U.S. beef: The country first banned it, then severely limited imports. But a pending new trade agreement could mark the resumption of normal trade and the start of a more prosperous era for American beef exports.

Has our recyclable waste become one of the U.S.'s biggest exports? It's definitely starting to seem that way. The U.S. Department of Commerce says U.S. companies exported $6.8 billion worth of waste, scrap paper and paperboard in 2009, up from $5.2 billion in 2005. But not all of those materials are actually getting recycled, creating a virtual wasteland in third-world countries.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Thursday is expected to discuss an ambitious plan to double U.S. exports to $2 trillion by 2015. The initiative will aim to help struggling farmers and small businesses distribute more of their goods -- and seeks to add 2 million jobs to the economy.

International visits to the United States fell 12 percent in May 2009 from the year before. Those still flying over spent a lot less – only $9.5 billion, down 22 percent from the same period last year. May was the seventh consecutive month in which international visitor spending declined....