Trade Balance

Tariffs are essentially taxes imposed by a country on goods imported from abroad.  They serve multiple purposes: generating revenue for the government, protecting domestic industries from foreign competition, and sometimes as a tool in trade negotiations.  When a tariff is applied, it increases the cost of imported goods, making them less competitive against domestic products.

America’s trade balance improved in November 2019 according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  The nation’s deficit improved to $43.1 billion from the upwardly revised count of $46.9 billion (originally $47.2 billion).  In short, both sides of the ledger improved for America as imports fell while exports increased. 

November 2018 International Trade

America’s trade deficit continued growing in October 2018 according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  The most recent deficit grew to $55.5 billion from the upwardly revised count of $54.6 (originally $54.0 billion).  In the period, exports declined $300 million while imports increased $600 million, causing the shortfall to reach a 10-year high.

America’s trade deficit widened in June according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  Increasing to $46.3 billion, this shortfall jumped 7.3 percent in the period.  Year-to-date, our nation’s trading gap has widened $19.6 billion or 7.2 percent versus the same period in 2017.  Both sides of the ledger worsened for the U.S.

America’s fiscal shortfall improved in June 2018 according to the Treasury Department.  America’s budget deficit improved to $74.9 billion from $146.8 billion in May.  Details within the report make the improvement look even better as there were substantial outlays that are not paid every month in this iteration. 

America’s trading shortfall improved in May 2018 according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  Our nation’s goods and services deficit dropped $3.0 billion to $43.1 billion from April’s downwardly revised tally (originally $46.2 billion).  This improvement put the monthly trade gap at its narrowest reading since October 2016.

International trade in goods and services improved in April 2018 according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  They estimate the trading deficit shrank $1.0 billion to $46.2 billion after March’s tally was revised from the original shortfall of $49.0 billion.  Year-to-date, America’s trade deficit is up 11.5 percent or $20.8 billion to $201.7 billion.