Port Tracker: U.S. imports down for seventh month in a row

Container imports at the major U.S. ports have declined for seven consecutive months with February's inbound volume estimated to be down nearly 10 percent year on year, according to the monthly Port Tracker report of the National Retail Federation and Global Insight.

The report said inbound traffic will continue to reflect the slowdown in the U.S. economy with weak or negative growth over the next several months.

Container traffic at the ports mirrors what retailers expect to sell in their stores, and the retail industry is expecting only modest growth this year, said Jonathan Gold, NRF's vice president for supply chain and customs policy. Retailers are managing inventory to match demand.