Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Mexico Cements No. 1 U.S. Trade Partner Status as Flows Hit Records

Stricter use of the North American trade deal’s origin rules is pulling supply chains into the region.

Overview

  • U.S. Census data for the first two months of 2026 show U.S.–Mexico trade at $147.3 billion, rising even as overall U.S. trade with the world fell.
  • Mexican goods made up $44.3 billion of U.S. imports in February, equal to 17.5% of all products entering the country.
  • Companies boosted compliance with USMCA rules of origin to 75.1% by late 2025, which let more goods qualify for low or zero tariffs and softened the impact of broad U.S. levies.
  • Mexico set tariffs up to 50% on more than 1,400 products from countries without trade agreements to deter Chinese inflows and support domestic manufacturing.
  • U.S. corn shipments to Mexico reached a Jan–Feb record of 3.95 million tonnes, mostly genetically modified yellow grain for feed, while the mid‑2026 USMCA review looms with USTR pressing on biotech market access.