Trade Deficit Probably Narrowed in July: U.S. Economy Preview

The trade deficit probably narrowed in July as a slowing economy prompted Americans to buy fewer goods from abroad, economists said before a government report this week.

The gap between imports and exports decreased to $47 billion from $49.9 billion the prior month, according to the median of 60 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey ahead of the Commerce Department’s Sept. 9 report. The deficit swelled by a record $7.9 billion in June.