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International Trade: The U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services increased to...

  • Thursday, May 10, 2012, 8:39 AM ET
    International Trade: The U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $51.8B in March from $45.5B (revised) in February, as exports increased 2.9% and imports grew 5.2%.
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This news story has 22 comments:

  •  
    I foresee a downward revision in the1st qtr GDP number.
    10 May 2012, 08:50 AM Reply Like
  •  
    And the professional pols act like they don't know where all the unemployment is coming from? Free trade practices equal an outflow of US wealth and jobs, period.
    10 May 2012, 10:08 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Well, you are confused. Faster US GDP growth results in a bigger trade deficit. That is the historical record. The US trade deficit narrows during recessions and widens during recoveries. Indisputable.
    10 May 2012, 03:18 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Protectionist policies exacerbated the Depression. History has lessons which can be learnt.
    10 May 2012, 03:32 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I am not confused. Our economy is being propped up by consumer spending- the government says spend spend spend, and keeps interest rates artificially low to redistribute wealth to the spenders. And where does the spending go?-- to imported goods and thus foreign countries. This is the insiduous way that the US's wealth is being drained. Higher import duties are needed to level the playing field, and get people buying US manufactured goods made with US manufacturing jobs.
    13 May 2012, 09:20 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Every generation breeds the ignorant and uninformed...

    Dictators are clapping in the background...
    13 May 2012, 04:58 PM Reply Like
  •  
    You're a fool if you believe higher import tariffs will do anything other than enrich the political system, make people pay more for goods, and drain money from people into government coffers.

    The problem is not cheap imports, it's cheap credit.

    And yes, I did call you a fool.
    14 May 2012, 01:24 AM Reply Like
  •  
    When faced with facts, call people names-- what a loser.
    14 May 2012, 01:22 PM Reply Like
  •  
    That's not simply name calling at all. I even went so far as to explain why your solution is foolish. You're not even alone in this thinking, but it's very dangerous for all of us when people start to think protectionist policies might be a good idea.
    14 May 2012, 01:35 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Ever heard of Smoot-Hawley?...lol
    14 May 2012, 05:35 PM Reply Like
  •  
    SA's commenting system isn't the clearest but if that was aimed at me, then yes, I have. It proves exactly what I'm saying about protectionist policies being foolish.
    14 May 2012, 05:42 PM Reply Like
  •  
    not you, MC2406 who was advocating protectionist tariffs
    15 May 2012, 07:37 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Most discouraging as I was hoping the long term trend would be down...
    10 May 2012, 10:16 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Actually an expanding trade deficit is a sign of an expanding US economy. Mature economies need imports to thrive. Unfortunately in our case at the moment this expansion of imports is being financed by an expansion of credit by overextended individuals, see last weeks credit numbers. If we were at higher employment levels the trade deficit would not bother me at all
    10 May 2012, 10:28 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Long-term, massive trade deficits are never good. At some point, the world won't want the debt and dollars we export to sustain these trade deficits.
    10 May 2012, 11:01 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Agreed. Nothing wrong with a trade deficit, or government debt.

    The problem is the continued growth of these.
    10 May 2012, 02:06 PM Reply Like
  •  
    You're wrong. The US trade deficit narrows during recessions and expands during recoveries.

    From a macroeconomic point of view this data point is bullish. Combined with the fact the March net employment figure was revised upward from 110,000 to 155,000, it suggests the US economy is steadily growth around 2.5% and 2.5% is the economy's long term potential growth.
    10 May 2012, 03:18 PM Reply Like
  •  
    You've got to get out of Paris! The US's growth potential is much greater than 2-2.5%. As soon as we rid ourselves of the socialism of the last four years and make some major inroads on spending we will be able to grow at 3-4% again. Unfortunately it will take at least 5 years to accomplish this. In the interim we still have the potential for the occasional 5% quarter. Remember this is the weakest recovery since the '30s so there remains a lot of slack
    10 May 2012, 03:36 PM Reply Like
  •  
    The chances of anyone changing anything significant in those regards, barring an upset in the GOP which means Romney doesn't get the nomination and Ron Paul does, is negligible. Nothing has changed, the housing crash was just a symptom of a larger problem which sadly still hasn't been solved.
    10 May 2012, 05:12 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Bailout auto finance companies so they can boost car sales via zero interest loans and lax credit standards. Great idea until new car buyers can't pay loan p&i. Next bailout please!
    10 May 2012, 10:50 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Ohhhh well, where is bbro to put a positive spin on that one. We are missing him.
    10 May 2012, 12:07 PM Reply Like
  •  
    This is good news. It means the economy is accelerating.
    10 May 2012, 02:44 PM Reply Like
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