U.S. Goods Trade Deficit Widens to $132.6 Billion in August

September 30, 2026. The U.S. advance international trade deficit in goods widened to $132.6 billion in August, up $13.7 billion from July, according to the Census Bureau’s monthly advance economic indicators report released Wednesday.

The deficit increased 11.5% from July’s revised $118.9 billion level. Goods exports rose by $3.7 billion to $203.4 billion, but imports increased by a much larger $17.4 billion to $336.1 billion.

What moved in August

The Census Bureau release dated September 30 shows that exports of industrial supplies increased 8.3% from July and capital-goods exports rose 2.0%. Those gains were partly offset by declines in exports of consumer goods, motor vehicles and parts, and foods, feeds and beverages.

On the import side, industrial supplies increased 10.4% and food imports rose 5.5%. Capital-goods imports were down 1.7% in the Census tables, while automotive imports increased 2.0% and consumer-goods imports fell 4.0%. The report notes that the goods figures are seasonally adjusted and are presented on a Census basis.

Reuters reported on September 30 that economists it surveyed had expected a $115.0 billion deficit, making the reported shortfall substantially wider than that forecast.

Inventories also increased

Advance wholesale inventories were estimated at $965.7 billion at the end of August, up 0.7% from July and 6.6% from August 2025. Advance retail inventories were estimated at $881.6 billion, up 0.3% for the month and 4.8% from a year earlier.

The Census Bureau cautioned that the retail-inventory monthly change carries a margin of error of plus or minus 0.2 percentage point. It also said August retail estimates incorporate revisions released September 28, while wholesale-history revisions are scheduled for October 26.

How to read the release

This is an advance goods-only report, not the later comprehensive goods-and-services trade report. The latest month has nearly complete coverage but remains subject to revision. A wider deficit can subtract from gross domestic product when imports rise faster than exports, although inventory accumulation and other components can offset some of that effect. It does not by itself establish why overall economic growth accelerated or slowed.

For related context, see AskNovus’s reports on the revised second-quarter GDP estimate and August consumer spending and PCE inflation.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Monthly Advance Economic Indicators Report for August 2026, released September 30, 2026; Reuters, September 30, 2026. Featured image: Ali Mkumbwa / Unsplash, illustrative port photograph.