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Trade deficit narrows to $73.3 billion on drop in imports
Gap in June shrank 5.6% from the prior month
Shipping containers near the Statue of Liberty at the Port Liberty Bayonne in New Jersey. (Kena Betancur/Bloomberg)
Key Takeaways:
- The U.S. trade deficit narrowed 5.6% to $73.3 billion in June as imports fell 1.8% and exports declined 0.9%, Commerce Department data showed.
- The report matters because trade volatility has reflected tariff policy shifts, Middle East war disruptions and AI-related investment that previously boosted technology imports.
- June data showed imports of computers and semiconductors slowed and the broader capital goods category posted its first decline since September.
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in June as imports fell for the first time since the start of the year in a broad decline.
The gap in goods and services trade shrank 5.6% from the prior month to $73.3 billion, Commerce Department data showed Aug. 4. The value of imports declined 1.8% while exports fell 0.9%.
The trade data wrap up a quarter in which net exports continued to weigh on economic growth.
Trade has been volatile month to month amid fluctuating tariff policy, disruptions from war in the Middle East and a rush to invest in artificial intelligence.
While many levies on imports were struck down by the Supreme Court in the first quarter, the Trump administration is seeking other routes to tariff imports.
Imports of computers, peripherals and parts surged in 2025 into early this year as companies aggressively pursued investment in artificial intelligence.
🆕 The nation's #InternationalTrade deficit in goods and services decreased to $73.3 billion in June from $77.6 billion in May, as imports decreased more than exports.https://t.co/jqYjiaHsvj #CensusEconData@BEA_News pic.twitter.com/y1UpoFesFV — U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) August 4, 2026
The latest trade report, however, showed imports of computers and semiconductors took a breather in June. The broader capital goods category that includes such equipment declined for the first time since September.
On an inflation-adjusted basis, the merchandise-trade deficit narrowed to $94.5 billion in June.
