US trade deficit contracts slightly in September

Washington: The US trade deficit contracted slightly in September, government data showed on Wednesday, hovering close to its widest since March 2025, driven by capital and consumer goods imports and strong exports.

The trade gap in the world's largest economy decreased by 0.6 percent to $105.0 billion, according to Commerce Department data.

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This was below the $107.7 billion projected in a consensus forecast released on Marketwatch.

US trade flows have swung significantly since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, as businesses rushed to get ahead of his sweeping and fast changing tariffs on trading partners.

In September, US imports rose by 1.2 percent to $426.6 billion, driven by computers and their accessories. Crude oil imports decreased by $1.3 billion.

US exports climbed by 1.8 percent to $321.5 billion, with oil, food and overall capital goods contributing to the increase.