US trade deficit widens sharply in December; goods trade gap highest on record in 2025

[BaronChocula]

4. What a difference a few months make

The U.S. trade deficit six months into President Donald Trump’s tariffs tumbled to its lowest level since mid-2009, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

With exports rising and imports falling, the trade shortfall was just $29.4 billion for October, down 39% from the prior month. Exports increased 2.6% while imports slipped 3.2%.

The total was the lowest since the second quarter of 2009 as the U.S. was just coming out of the financial crisis and the Great Recession.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/08/trade-deficit-in-october-hits-smallest-since-2009-after-trumps-tariff-moves.html