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Trade Deficit Narrows On Import Compression, Mixed Signs For Domestic Demand

US DATA
  • The advance goods trade deficit narrowed by more than expected in May to a seasonally adjusted $91.1B (cons $93.7B) from $97.1B (initial $96.8B).
  • Exports dipped -0.6% M/M with no sign of a bounce from the -5.3% slide in April, with the monthly improvement in the balance instead led by imports contracting -2.7% M/M (all seasonally adjusted here).
  • Price components potentially played a big part, with a -6% decline in industrial supplies (which includes petroleum & petroleum products) and -3% in the broad food & beverages category.
  • Other indicators had mixed implications for domestic demand though, with capital goods imports encouragingly seeing the largest monthly increase since Sep (+1.3%) but consumer goods imports sliding -7.3% for one of its largest monthly drops in recent years.

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