The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services rose for the third straight month in August, up 6.2 percent to $53.2 billion, according to trade statistics released by the Department of Commerce. Exports were down 0.8 percent to $209.4 billion while imports rose 0.6 percent to a record-high $262.7 billion.
For the year to date, the total trade deficit is up 8.6 percent from 2017. Exports and imports have both risen 8.4 percent over the same period as a year earlier.
The deficit in goods trade rose 4.9 percent to $76.7 billion in August. Imports of goods were up 0.8 percent to $215.6 billion, including increases of $1 billion in automotive vehicles, parts, and engines and $900 million in cell phones and other household goods. Exports of goods fell 1.3 percent to $138.9 billion, including decreases of $1 billion in soybeans, $900 million in crude oil, and $600 million in artwork, antiques, stamps, and other collectibles.
The services surplus rose 1.7 percent to $23.5 billion as imports slipped 0.4 percent to $47.0 billion and exports gained 0.3 percent to $70.5 billion.
|
Country/region
|
Deficit
|
% Change
|
Surplus
|
% Change
|
|
China
|
$34.4 billion
|
+0.9
|
|
|
|
European Union
|
$14.9 billion
|
+2.8
|
|
|
|
Mexico
|
$8.7 billion
|
+35.9
|
|
|
|
Japan
|
$5.8 billion
|
+18.4
|
|
|
|
Germany
|
$5.3 billion
|
-14.5
|
|
|
|
Canada
|
$3.0 billion
|
+6.3
|
|
|
|
Italy
|
$2.7 billion
|
0
|
|
|
|
India
|
$1.9 billion
|
+18.8
|
|
|
|
South Korea
|
$1.8 billion
|
+38.5
|
|
|
|
France
|
$1.3 billion
|
-7.1
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
$1.1 billion
|
+10.0
|
|
|
|
Taiwan
|
$0.7 billion
|
-30.0
|
|
|
|
United Kingdom
|
$0.1 billion
|
Change from $0.4 billion surplus
|
|
|
|
South/Central America
|
|
|
$3.4 billion
|
0
|
|
Hong Kong
|
|
|
$2.3 billion
|
-8.0
|
|
Singapore
|
|
|
$0.6 billion
|
+200
|
|
Brazil
|
|
|
$0.5 billion
|
-16.7
|