US Goods Trade Deficit Widens to $134.9B in September 2026
The advance goods trade deficit expanded to $134.9 billion in September as import growth outpaced exports, up from $132.1 billion in August.
The United States goods trade deficit widened to $134.9 billion in September 2026, up from $132.1 billion in August, according to advance estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The gap grew because imports rose faster than exports during the month.
The month-over-month percentage change in the deficit slowed sharply, with September posting a 2.1 percent change compared with an 11.1 percent change recorded in August. The deceleration suggests the pace of deficit expansion moderated even as the absolute shortfall continued to grow.
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The advance goods trade report is a preliminary snapshot of cross-border merchandise flows and is subject to revision when more complete data become available. It excludes services trade, which historically offsets a portion of the goods deficit for the United States.
A widening goods deficit can weigh on gross domestic product calculations, as net exports represent a component of GDP. Analysts typically monitor the advance figure for early signals about trade's contribution to quarterly economic growth before the full international trade report is published.
Continue reading at U.S. Census Bureau Economic Briefing Room.
