Balance of trade · United States

United States Balance of Trade

The United States Balance of Trade shows the difference between the value of goods (and sometimes services) that the United States sells abroad and what it buys from abroad, or the growth of exports and imports.

Importance: Medium
Released: Monthly
Next release: Wed 4 Nov 2026 13:30 UTC
Currency: USD · US dollar
Central bank: The Federal Reserve
Moves: AUDUSD · EURUSD · GAUUSD# · GBPUSD · NZDUSD · USDCAD · USDCHF · USDCNH

Latest figures

The latest release for AUG, published on 6 October 2026, came in at $-105.6B.

Released	For	Actual	Consensus	Previous
6 Oct 2026	AUG	$-105.6B	$-102B	$-92.8B ®
3 Sep 2026	JUL	$-88.6B	$-90B	$-71.2B ®
4 Aug 2026	JUN	$-73.3B	$-73.0B	$-77.6B
7 Jul 2026	MAY	$-77.6B	$-78.5B	$-54.6B ®
9 Jun 2026	APR	$-55.9B	$-56.1B	$-56.6B ®
5 May 2026	MAR	$-60.3B	$-60.9B	$-57.8B ®
2 Apr 2026	FEB	$-57.3B	$-59.2B	$-54.7B ®
12 Mar 2026	JAN	$-54.5B	$-66.6B	$-72.9B ®
19 Feb 2026	DEC	$-70.3B	$-55.5B	$-53B ®
29 Jan 2026	NOV	$-56.8B	$-40.5B	$-29.2B ®
8 Jan 2026	OCT	$-29.4B	$-58.9B	$-48.1B ®
11 Dec 2025	SEP	$-52.8B	$-63.3B	$-59.3B ®

Released

For

Actual

Consensus

6 Oct 2026

AUG

$-105.6B

$-102B

$-92.8B ®

3 Sep 2026

JUL

$-88.6B

$-90B

$-71.2B ®

4 Aug 2026

JUN

$-73.3B

$-73.0B

$-77.6B

7 Jul 2026

MAY

$-77.6B

$-78.5B

$-54.6B ®

9 Jun 2026

APR

$-55.9B

$-56.1B

$-56.6B ®

5 May 2026

MAR

$-60.3B

$-60.9B

$-57.8B ®

2 Apr 2026

FEB

$-57.3B

$-59.2B

$-54.7B ®

12 Mar 2026

JAN

$-54.5B

$-66.6B

$-72.9B ®

19 Feb 2026

DEC

$-70.3B

$-55.5B

$-53B ®

29 Jan 2026

NOV

$-56.8B

$-40.5B

$-29.2B ®

8 Jan 2026

OCT

$-29.4B

$-58.9B

$-48.1B ®

11 Dec 2025

SEP

$-52.8B

$-63.3B

$-59.3B ®

See it in the economic calendar →

Why it matters

Exports are a big part of demand for open economies (Germany, China, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands). A larger surplus means more foreign demand for the US dollar; strong imports signal domestic demand. China's figures are read as a gauge of world demand.

How it is calculated

Customs records the value of goods crossing the border; services come from surveys. The balance is exports minus imports, usually seasonally adjusted.

Trade balance = exports − imports

What changes mean

Look at exports and imports separately: a wider surplus from collapsing imports is a sign of weak domestic demand, not strength.
Exchange-rate moves take months to affect trade volumes (the J-curve).

Higher than expected: A larger surplus (or smaller deficit) than expected tends to support the US dollar.

Lower than expected: A smaller surplus (or larger deficit) than expected tends to weigh on the US dollar.

A short history

Trade balances were the obsession of mercantilism in the 16th–18th centuries; David Hume's price-specie flow mechanism (1752) explained why surpluses tend to correct themselves.

Questions

What is the United States Balance of Trade?

What was the latest United States Balance of Trade?

$-105.6B for AUG, published on 6 October 2026 (consensus $-102B, previous $-92.8B).

When is the next United States Balance of Trade?

On Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 13:30 UTC.

Educational content only, not investment advice. Figures are the published results as recorded by our calendar; market reactions described are typical, not guaranteed.