U.S. September Trade Deficit Narrows as Goods Exports Reach Four-Month High

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed slightly in September, while goods exports rose to a four-month high. According to Sina Finance, Commerce Department data released Wednesday showed the goods-and-services deficit narrowed 0.7% from the previous month to $105 billion, compared with a median estimate of $107.9 billion in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Unadjusted monthly trade figures have been volatile amid tariffs, higher oil prices and supply-chain disruptions. Exports rose 1.9%, mainly driven by increased capital goods exports, while imports rose 1.2%. Capital goods imports increased by $11.6 billion from the previous month and reached a record high. This category includes computers and accessories, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment. U.S. companies are purchasing imported technology equipment in large quantities to expand their artificial intelligence capabilities. Imports of industrial supplies, including oil and petroleum products, fell by $3.7 billion from the previous month. The report showed that U.S. crude oil imports declined in volume. Industrial supplies exports fell by $1 billion. Imports and exports of nonmonetary gold, which have been volatile recently, also declined. Adjusted for inflation, the overall goods trade deficit widened to $119.5 billion, its largest since March 2025.