The US trade deficit narrowed to $55.9 billion in April 2026 from a revised $56.6 billion in March, beating market expectations of $56.1 billion. Exports rose 2.6% ($8.3 billion) to a record $327.1 billion, driven by higher sales of capital goods (up $4.0 billion, including computers and civilian aircraft), industrial supplies (up $2.5 billion, led by crude oil and petroleum products amid rising energy prices due to Middle East tensions), and consumer goods (up $1.7 billion). Service exports fell $0.4 billion, weighed down by declines in travel, transport, and maintenance services. Imports increased 2.0% ($7.6 billion) to $383.0 billion, the highest in one year, solely due to purchases of capital goods (up $7.0 billion), mostly computers, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment. Imports of services increased $1.3 billion, driven by transport, travel, and insurance services. source: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

The United States recorded a trade deficit of 55.88 USD Billion in April of 2026. Balance of Trade in the United States averaged -18.93 USD Billion from 1950 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 1.95 USD Billion in June of 1975 and a record low of -132.98 USD Billion in March of 2025. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United States Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.

The United States recorded a trade deficit of 55.88 USD Billion in April of 2026. Balance of Trade in the United States is expected to be -70.00 USD Billion by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United States Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -40.00 USD Billion in 2027 and -60.00 USD Billion in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-05 12:30 PM
Balance of Trade
Mar $-60.3B $-57.8B $-60.9B $-61.4B
2026-06-09 12:30 PM
Balance of Trade
Apr $-55.9B $-56.6B $-56.1B $-57.9B
2026-07-07 12:30 PM
Balance of Trade
May $-55.9B



Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Exports 327.10 318.78 USD Billion Apr 2026
Goods Exports 219520.00 211472.00 USD Million Apr 2026
Goods Imports 302527.00 296591.00 USD Million Apr 2026
Goods Trade Balance -83007.00 -85118.00 USD Million Apr 2026
Imports 382.98 375.36 USD Billion Apr 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade -55.88 -56.59 USD Billion Apr 2026
Current Account -190.70 -239.10 USD Billion Dec 2025


United States Balance of Trade
The United States has recorded persistent trade deficits since 1976, largely reflecting strong demand for imported industrial supplies, capital equipment and consumer goods. In 2025, trade dynamics were significantly shaped by the rollout of new tariffs. Imports climbed to record highs in the first half of the year as businesses accelerated purchases ahead of higher duties. However, import growth slowed sharply toward year-end, suggesting that tariffs were beginning to curb demand. Overall, the US posted a trade deficit of nearly $900 billion in 2025, broadly unchanged from the previous year but still among the largest shortfalls since 1960. The widest bilateral goods deficits were with the European Union ($218.8 billion), particularly Ireland and Germany, followed by China ($202.1 billion), Mexico ($196.9 billion), Vietnam ($178.2 billion), Taiwan ($146.8 billion), Thailand ($71.9 billion), Japan ($63.9 billion), India ($58.2 billion), South Korea ($56.4 billion), Canada ($46.4 billion), Switzerland ($34.3 billion) and Malaysia ($30.8 billion).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-55.88 -56.59 1.95 -132.98 1950 - 2026 USD Billion Monthly
SA

News Stream
US Trade Gap Narrows as Exports Hit New Record
The US trade deficit narrowed to $55.9 billion in April 2026 from a revised $56.6 billion in March, beating market expectations of $56.1 billion. Exports rose 2.6% ($8.3 billion) to a record $327.1 billion, driven by higher sales of capital goods (up $4.0 billion, including computers and civilian aircraft), industrial supplies (up $2.5 billion, led by crude oil and petroleum products amid rising energy prices due to Middle East tensions), and consumer goods (up $1.7 billion). Service exports fell $0.4 billion, weighed down by declines in travel, transport, and maintenance services. Imports increased 2.0% ($7.6 billion) to $383.0 billion, the highest in one year, solely due to purchases of capital goods (up $7.0 billion), mostly computers, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment. Imports of services increased $1.3 billion, driven by transport, travel, and insurance services.
2026-06-09
US Trade Deficit Widens in March
The United States trade deficit widened to $60.3 billion in March of 2026 from the revised $57.8 billion gap in the previous month, loosely aligned with market expectations of $60.9 billion to mark the widest deficit so far this year. Imports rose by $8.7 billion, or 2.3% from the previous month to $381 billion in the period. Foreign purchases were higher for autos and parts (+$3.6 billion), consumer goods (+$2.4 billion), capital goods (+$2.1 billion), and industrial supplies (+$2.1 billion). In the meantime, exports jumped by $6.2 billion, or 2.0%, to $320.9 billion, aided by the boost in turnover from higher energy costs of oil, product, and natural gas since the start of the war in March. Foreign sales rose for crude oil (+$2.8 billion), fuel oil (+$1.6 billion), and other petroleum products (+$1.7 billion). Meanwhile, exports of foods rose $1.1 billion amid an increase in soybean exports (+$0.9 billion).
2026-05-05
US Trade Gap Below Forecasts
The trade deficit in the US widened slightly to $57.3 billion in February 2026 from a revised $54.7 billion in February but less than forecasts of a $59.2 billion shortfall. Exports increased 4.2% to a new record high of $314.8 billion led by nonmonetary gold and natural gas. Imports went up 4.3% to $372.1 billion, the highest in eleven months, led by computers, computer accessories, trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles, crude oil, semiconductors, pharmaceutical preparations and charges for the use of intellectual property. The largest deficit was by far recorded with Taiwan ($-21.1 billion vs $-17.3 billion in January), followed by Mexico ($-16.8 billion vs $-12.8 billion), Vietnam ($-16.5 billion vs $-19 billion) and China ($-13.1 billion vs $-12.5 billion). The gap with the EU decreased to $5.1 billion from $6.1 billion and the shortfall with Canada also narrowed to $0.74 billion from $2.7 billion.
2026-04-02