US Trade Deficit Widens to $105.6 Billion in August 2026
The US trade gap surged by nearly $13 billion in August as import growth outpaced exports, federal data shows.
The United States trade deficit expanded sharply in August 2026, climbing to $105.6 billion from a revised $92.8 billion in July, according to data released jointly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Census Bureau. The roughly $12.8 billion month-over-month increase reflected faster growth in imports than in exports during the period.
The widening was driven primarily by the goods side of the ledger, where the deficit rose $12.8 billion to reach $136.6 billion for the month. That figure underscores persistent demand for foreign manufactured goods and commodities even as domestic producers compete for market share.
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The services sector offered a modest counterweight. The US services surplus — which includes categories such as travel, financial services, and intellectual property — edged up by less than $100 million in August to $31.0 billion. That marginal gain was insufficient to offset the deterioration on the goods side.
The overall deficit of $105.6 billion represents one of the more significant monthly gaps in recent reporting periods, signaling that trade will likely weigh on gross domestic product calculations for the third quarter. Economists generally treat a widening trade deficit as a drag on GDP growth, since it reflects more spending flowing to overseas producers than is being recouped through export sales.
Continue reading at U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
