US Goods Trade Deficit Widens 11.5% to $132.6B in August on Import Surge

The US goods trade deficit widened to $132.6 billion in August, up 11.5% from a revised $118.9 billion in July, as imports surged $17.4 billion to $336.1 billion while exports rose only $3.7 billion to $203.4 billion. The sharp import growth signals robust domestic demand but may weigh on Q3 GDP growth. The widening deficit could fuel political debate on trade policy ahead of elections.