Economics
U.S. Merchandise-Trade Gap Grows as Consumer-Goods Imports Rise
- Industrial supplies, consumer goods boost imports, exports
- Goods-trade deficit remains close to a record $92 billion
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The U.S. merchandise-trade deficit widened in August as an increase in foreign-made consumer goods allowed imports to outpace exports.
The gap increased to $87.6 billion last month from a revised $86.8 billion in July, according to Commerce Department data released Tuesday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for an $87.3 billion shortfall. The figures aren’t adjusted for inflation.