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U.S. Market Concentration and Import Competition

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  • Amiti, Mary
  • Heise, Sebastian

Abstract

A rapidly growing literature has shown that market concentration among domestic firms has increased in the U.S. over the last three decades. Using confidential census data for the manufacturing sector, we show that typical measures of concentration, once adjusted for sales by foreign exporters, actually stayed constant between 1992 and 2012. We reconcile these findings by linking part of the increase in domestic concentration to import competition. Although concentration among U.S.-based firms rose, the growth of foreign firms, mostly at the bottom of the sales distribution, counteracted this increase. We find that higher import competition caused a decline in the market shares of the top-20 U.S. firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Amiti, Mary & Heise, Sebastian, 2021. "U.S. Market Concentration and Import Competition," CEPR Discussion Papers 16126, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:16126
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    2. Gábor Koltay & Szabolcs Lorincz & Tommaso Valletti, 2023. "Concentration and Competition: Evidence From Europe and Implications For Policy1," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(3), pages 466-501.
    3. Meng Li & Yang Xu, 2025. "The Impact of Computing Infrastructure Construction on Innovation in Manufacturing Enterprises: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on the Establishment of China’s National Supercomputing C," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Rafael Guntin & Federico Kochen, 2025. "The Origins of Top Firms," Working Papers 2541, Banco de España.
    5. Anders Akerman, 2024. "Market concentration and the relative demand for college‐educated labour," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 91(361), pages 292-319, January.
    6. Tu, Wei & He, Juan, 2025. "How corporate business similarity affects ESG Performance?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    7. Crinò, Rosario & Bonfiglioli, Alessandra & Gancia, Gino, 2021. "International Trade with Heterogeneous Firms: Theory and Evidence," CEPR Discussion Papers 16249, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F60 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - General
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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