US Trade Gap Widens From Smallest Since 2009 as Imports Rise (5)

Jan. 29, 2026, 4:58 PM UTC

The US trade deficit widened in November from the lowest level since 2009 as imports rebounded and exports fell, highlighting wide monthly swings in response to the Trump administration’s vacillations on tariffs.

The goods and services trade gap nearly doubled from the prior month to $56.8 billion, Commerce Department data showed Thursday. The 94.6% widening was the largest since 1992, while the shortfall for the month exceeded all projections in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

The trade data have been prone to volatility related to the implementation of US trade policy. In recent months, there’s been ...

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