Economics
U.S. Goods-Trade Gap Widens to Fresh Record as Imports Jump
- December deficit unexpectedly expands to $101 billion
- Value of imports rises to new high, led by consumer goods
This article is for subscribers only.
The U.S. merchandise-trade deficit unexpectedly widened in December to a fresh record as imports continued to rise, outpacing shipments overseas.
The gap increased to $101 billion last month from a revised $98 billion in November, according to Commerce Department data released Wednesday. The figure exceeded all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists, and the data aren’t adjusted for inflation.