The US dollar has been strong, very strong up until the last five years.  Now that the US dollar is making new lows, trade has increased for many US based companies that can now compete with foreign manufacturers.  The low value of the US dollar is great for many industries, automakers, travel and resort companies and now chipmakers.

IBM released very promising news today that their first quarter earnings jumped 26 percent from a year ago.  The higher sales are attributed to a weak dollar which allows IBM to compete with countries like Japan and China which have enjoyed devalued currencies to grow their tech industry.

Automakers
Automakers are the companies that can benefit most from a cheap dollar.  GM and Ford sell many of their compact cars in Europe, now that the Euro is worth twice as many dollars as it was just a few years ago, more orders are likely to flood these US based businesses.   Even after pension costs of over $1000 per car for General Motors, the currency market should bring more business from foreigners.  This turnaround of trade certainly helps these two businesses, but the US economy as a whole.  Devalued currency brings more trade to the United States.

Travel and resorts
Travel companies also benefit from a weak dollar.  Europeans are quick to take advantage of cheaper US vacations.  Popular travel sites in the United States are bringing in less Americans but more travelors from Europe and Asia.  While a hotel room might have cost 100 Euro in 2003, that price is now down to 50 Euro.

A weak dollar is not entirely bad.  Although domestic inflation might worry some Americans, its helping US exports gain an advantage against cheaper nations.  We might finally see a shift from made in China to made in the USA.  This can be nothing but good.