The U.S.
Commerce Department reported on Thursday U.S. the goods and services trade
deficit narrowed to $47.2 billion in October from a revised $51.1 billion in
the previous month (originally a gap of $52.5). This represented the lowest trade gap since May of 2018.
Economists had
expected a deficit of $48.7 billion.
According to
the report, the October decline in the goods and services deficit reflected a
decrease in the goods deficit of $3.7 billion to $68.0 billion and an advance
in the services surplus of $0.2 billion to $20.8 billion.
Exports of
goods and services from the U.S. fell 0.2 percent m-o-m to $207.1 billion in
October, while imports dropped 1.7 percent m-o-m to $254.3 billion.
Year-to-date,
the goods and services deficit rose 1.3 percent from the same period in 2018.
Exports declined less than 0.1 percent, while imports grew 0.2 percent.