US goods trade deficit widens sharply in May on imports
US goods trade deficit widens sharply in May on imports
ReutersFri, June 26, 2026 at 12:50 PM UTC
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FILE PHOTO: APM Terminals at the Port of Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit in goods widened sharply in May as businesses boosted imports to avoid shortages and higher prices related to the Middle East conflict, which could see economists cut their estimates for second-quarter gross domestic product.
The goods trade gap increased 27.4% to $105.8 billion last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the deficit at $85.0 billion. Imports of goods increased $10.9 billion to $313.4
billion, while exports fell $11.8 billion to $207.7 billion.
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Trade had been a drag on gross domestic product for two straight quarters. Growth estimates for the second quarter are converging around a 2.5% annualized rate.
The economy grew at a 2.1% annualized rate last quarter after expanding at a 0.5% pace in the October-December quarter.
(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
Source: “AOL Money”
