US Trade Deficit Widens in March on Imports; Petroleum Exports Rise
Imports rose 2.3% to a record $381.2 billion as capital goods hit a record high and exports also reached an all-time high, officials said.
- On Tuesday, the Commerce Department reported the U.S. trade deficit widened 4.4% to $60.3 billion in March, driven by a surge in imports linked to artificial intelligence investment.
- President Donald Trump's fast-changing 10-percent tariff policies caused wide swings in trade flows after a Supreme Court decision struck down some levies, prompting firms to rush imports before duty hikes.
- Exports hit a record $320.9 billion with a 3.1% rise in goods exports, while imports climbed 2.3% to $381.2 billion; petroleum shipments surged amid conflict in the Middle East.
- ING economist James Knightley said "that the household sector remained buoyant in March," though he cautioned observers should monitor whether this resilience persists amid higher energy costs.
- Oxford Economics analyst Grace Zwemmer said capital goods imports, including semiconductors, remain strong, pointing to sustained investment through 2026 despite broader trade volatility.
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43 Articles
Let's check in on the U.S. trade deficit
In case you forgot, President Trump's tariffs had one goal: narrow the U.S. trade deficit. Compare March ‘25 to March ‘26, and the deficit has shrunk by half. But from February to March of this year, it actually widened — exports rose, while imports rose even more. In this episode, what’s driving all that economic activity? (Hint, it’s not tariffs.) Plus: 30-year Treasury yields top 5%, home remodeling is projected to slow in 2027, and we visit …
US Trade Deficit Grew in March
The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services rose to $60.3 billion in March, increasing 4.4% from the previous month, after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, according to data from the Commerce Department released Tuesday. Exports grew 2% in the month, to a record $320.9 billion, as the United States exported more oil, soybeans and industrial supplies. The U.S. trade surplus in petroleum hit a record in March…
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