US trade deficit falls 8.2% to $43.1 billion in November

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit fell in November to the lowest level in more than three years as U.S. exports rose while imports declined, putting the country on track to see the first annual decline in the trade deficit in six years.

The Commerce Department said Tuesday that the gap between what America sells and what it buys abroad narrowed by 8.2% in November to $43.1 billion, the smallest deficit since October 2016.

Through the first 11 months of 2019, the trade deficit is 0.7% smaller than in the same period in 2018. If that trend holds in December, the country will finish 2019 with a deficit slightly below last year’s $627.7 billion imbalance, which had been a 14.1% jump over 2017.

That would mark the first year-to-year improvement since the deficit narrowed in 2013.



FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2019, file photo cargo cranes are used to take containers off of a Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation boat at the Port of Tacoma in Tacoma, Wash. The Commerce Department said Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, that the U.S. trade deficit fell in November to the lowest level in more than three years as U.S. exports rose while imports declined, putting the country on track to see the first annual decline in the trade deficit in six years. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)


Read more: https://apnews.com/38cc9d27fee14f7890bbb616c69184a4

[SergeStorms]

1. I don't believe anything.....

That comes from the Trump administration, especially in an election year.

[Lonestarblue]

4. I agree. Nothing is true when it involves Trump or his acolytes.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

10. Except the corruption...n/t

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Random statistical noise

means nothing. Zip.

[SujiwanKenobee]

3. Really?

It's really sad when these departments have become so politicized that any reports have to be taken as purposefully disseminating untruths or skewed toward getting kudos from He Who Shall Not Be Named.

[vsrazdem]

5. But do they tell us if Americans are buying less?

"the gap between what America sells and what it buys abroad"

[CentralMass]

6. Does the report have Sharpie edits ?

[cstanleytech]

7. But is it due to less consumer spending? If so then that is not

a sign of a healthy economy.

[machoneman]

9. Well before Chrsitmas. I read that US consumer spending was at an all time high. I doubted....

the veracity of that news then and even more so now. Given the prevalence of low wages, dual and triple jobs many work, the serious decline in our manufacturing index, slowed new home construction and other downward pointing economic factors, it's hard to believe any good news trump and his camp followers publish. Note that the Federal Reserve is one of the few government agencies trump can't fool with its numbers. Watch their statements.

[BlueIdaho]

8. To be revised upward later... nt.

[TomCADem]

11. That makes no sense...

...if the US economy is strong relative to other countries than US consumers will buy more causing the deficit to grow.

[machI]

12. Have the tariffs reduced the amount of commodities purchased by US manufacturing?

If our factories are buying less raw materials and commodities used in producing goods, then fewer imports hurt the economy.

[Scruffy1]

13. Tariffs may have nothing to do with it.

The ISM Manufacturing Index took a steep drop recently. It's not easy to switch suppliers for a whole lot of things made overseas.