As Asian producers frantically search for customers anywhere and everywhere throughout the world, Americans are helping out by buying more.

• So much cargo is arriving from Asia that Long Beach, Calif. -- the nation's largest port -- has set up special storage areas to handle the overflow.

• In tonnage, the arrivals there from South Korea are up 34 percent from last year, from Hong Kong 29 percent and from China 21 percent -- with many ships sailing back empty.

• As a result, economists forecast an annualized U.S. trade deficit in this year's fourth quarter of $256.8 billion, compared to $159.1 billion in the year-earlier quarter -- with $40 billion to $50 billion directly attributable to the Asian crisis.

Economists say increased imports into the U.S. are a sign of the economy's strength, and that consumers will benefit from continued low prices due to competition.