WASHINGTON — September’s trade gap came in at $105.0 billion, a touch narrower than the month before, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced Wednesday.
August’s figure, revised, was $105.7 billion. Exports climbed $5.8 billion to $321.5 billion in September, outpacing a $5.2 billion rise in imports, which reached $426.6 billion — a record, Reuters reported, noting that economists it surveyed had expected the deficit to widen to $108.0 billion instead.
The movement was in goods, almost entirely. That deficit shrank $0.7 billion, to $135.9 billion. Services barely budged: the surplus eased by less than $0.1 billion, to $30.9 billion.
Computers drive goods trade in both directions
On the export side, goods shipments rose $5.1 billion to $211.0 billion, and capital goods accounted for most of it — up $3.8 billion, helped by computers ($1.3 billion), computer accessories ($0.8 billion) and civilian aircraft ($0.7 billion).
Soybeans did much of the lifting in food exports. Foods, feeds and beverages rose $1.9 billion, soybeans alone $1.3 billion. Industrial supplies moved against the trend, slipping $1.0 billion; nonmonetary gold dropped $3.4 billion, partly offset by a $1.2 billion rise in crude oil.
Imports of goods rose $4.4 billion to $346.9 billion. Capital goods again stood out, up $11.6 billion, as computer imports jumped $7.6 billion and accessories $5.7 billion, even as semiconductors fell back $1.2 billion.
Pharmaceutical preparations pulled consumer goods higher. That category rose $2.4 billion in all, and the drug preparations inside it were up $2.9 billion. Nonmonetary gold and crude oil fell, and industrial supplies fell with them, down $3.7 billion.
Services moved quietly. Travel lifted services exports, which added $0.7 billion to reach $110.5 billion. On the import side, services cost $79.7 billion, up $0.8 billion, as Americans spent more on travel and transport.
Deficits widest with Mexico, Vietnam and Taiwan
No trading partner ran a bigger goods deficit with the United States than Mexico — $28.7 billion. Vietnam was next at $25.3 billion, then Taiwan at $21.9 billion.
Taiwan’s widened the most, by $3.6 billion. The European Union’s grew $3.2 billion, reaching $14.2 billion.
China’s came to $17.9 billion. Canada‘s deficit shrank. It fell $2.7 billion, to $4.4 billion, because imports from Canada dropped $3.0 billion, to $34.1 billion.
Nine months in, the picture looks different from September alone. Put the year to date next to 2025 and the deficit is smaller by $92.4 billion — down 12.2%. Exports have grown 11.6%, or $297.3 billion; imports 6.2%, or $204.9 billion.
The rolling picture is bumpier. Over the three months ending in September the average deficit rose $11.3 billion, to $101.2 billion. October’s figures are due Dec. 8.
Have something to promote?
Bring your business, services or event to our readers.