US Trade Deficit Widened in September

Up 8 percent from August

The U.S. trade deficit widened in September as imports increased to the highest level in 10 months while exports slipped.

The deficit increased to $41.8 billion, up 8 percent from August, the Commerce Department said Thursday. It was the largest trade gap since May and marked the third straight month that the deficit has risen since hitting a four-year low in June.

Comments

[Scarecrow Repair]

I am so tired of people making up this "trade deficit" boogey monster. Dollars out have to equal dollars in, unless the foreigners send us stuff and take worthless paper money which they burn up.

By definition, trade is a two way street. Buyers, whether foreign or not, trade items they don't want for items they do want, with the expectation they will use what they get. Whether foreigners use the dollars they got to buy other stuff here or overseas, eventually those dollars get sent to the US to pay for things we send them. Even if all those dollars do is buy bonds, they still come back to the US eventually, or at least have to be capable of coming back eventually in order to have any value.

Preaching to the choir, I know, but this really annoys me.