Despite the great shale revolution, US exports posted a $0.4 billion decline to $188.9 billion in October driven by decreases in industrial supplies and materials ($1.3 billion), other goods ($0.2 billion), consumer goods ($0.2 billion), and capital goods ($0.1 billion). This was offset by a $2.7 billion increase in imports to $230.7 billion broken down by increases in industrial supplies and materials ($0.9 billion); automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0.9 billion); capital goods ($0.8 billion); and consumer goods ($0.6 billion). End result: a September trade balance of $41.8 billion, which was higher than the highest forecast of $41.6 billion among 72 economists queried by Bloomberg, and the highest deficit print in 4 months.
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The major deficits broken down by grography: with China $30.5 ($29.9), European Union $8.0 ($9.8), Germany $6.1 ($5.4), OPEC $5.9 ($7.3), Japan $5.5 ($6.4), Mexico $5.3 ($4.9), Canada $3.2 ($2.4), Saudi Arabia $3.2 ($3.6), Korea $2.1 ($1.7), Ireland $1.8 ($1.9), India $1.7 ($1.6), and Venezuela $1.3 ($1.5).
This was the largest trade deficit gap with China posted on record.
More from the report:
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that total September exports of $188.9 billion and imports of $230.7 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $41.8 billion, up from $38.7 billion in August, revised. September exports were $0.4 billion less than August exports of $189.3 billion. September imports were $2.7 billion more than August imports of $228.0 billion.
In September, the goods deficit increased $3.0 billion from August to $61.3 billion, and the services surplus decreased $0.1 billion from August to $19.5 billion. Exports of goods decreased $0.2 billion to $132.1 billion, and imports of goods increased $2.8 billion to $193.4 billion. Exports of services decreased $0.2 billion to $56.8 billion, and imports of services decreased $0.1 billion to $37.3 billion.
The goods and services deficit increased $0.2 billion from September 2012 to September 2013. Exports were up $2.1 billion, or 1.1 percent, and imports were up $2.3 billion, or 1.0 percent.
End result: Q3 GDP forecasts are about to gap down by 0.2-0.4% points.