WASHINGTON — The U.S. trade deficit narrowed slightly in September, though imports increased to a record high amid an artificial intelligence spending spree by businesses, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday.
The trade shortfall contracted 0.7% to $105.0 billion, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the deficit would be $108.0 billion. Exports reached $321.5 billion, up $5.8 billion from August, while imports totaled $426.6 billion, an increase of $5.2 billion.
Imports increased 1.2% to $426.6 billion in September, a record high. Goods imports rose 1.3% to $346.9 billion, also an all-time high. Capital goods imports shot up by $11.6 billion to a record high $158.0 billion as the AI buildout drew in imports of computers and computer accessories. Imports of computers increased by $7.6 billion, while computer accessories rose $5.7 billion.
Exports advanced 1.9% to $321.5 billion. Goods exports increased 2.5% to $211.0 billion, and exports of capital goods rose by $3.8 billion to an all-time high of $73.3 billion, driven by computers, computer accessories and civilian aircraft. The goods trade deficit tightened 0.5% to $135.9 billion, partly offset by a services surplus of $30.9 billion.
The report also showed the U.S. logged record goods trade deficits with several countries, including Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea, despite President Donald Trump's tariffs. When adjusted for inflation, the goods trade deficit widened $3.5 billion, or 3.0%, to $119.5 billion. The government estimated that imports cut 2.64 percentage points from GDP growth in the third quarter, the most since the first quarter of 2025.
