US goods trade gap narrows, wholesale inventories continue to climb

28th Jul 2026 12:52

(Sharecast News) - America's goods trade deficit narrowed in June, while wholesale inventories continued to rise, according to preliminary figures from the Census Bureau, offering a mixed picture of underlying demand and supply‑chain conditions across the US economy.

Preliminary figures showed the goods trade gap shrinking to $101.5bn from a 14‑month high of $105.9bn in May.

Exports fell 1.8% to $204.7bn, marking a second consecutive monthly decline, with lower shipments of industrial supplies, foods and beverages, and capital goods, while imports dropped more sharply, down 2.6% to $306.2bn, with purchases falling across all major categories including consumer goods, vehicles and non-durables.

Over the first half of 2026, the cumulative deficit narrowed to $535.5bn, suggesting trade flows were continuing to normalise following last year's tariff announcements.

Elsewhere, wholesale inventories rose 0.3% month‑on‑month in June to $945.9bn, matching May's upwardly revised increase and coming in ahead of expectations. Durable goods stocks climbed 0.7%, while non-durables, on the other hand, slipped 0.4% month-on-month, leaving inventories 4.4% higher year-on-year.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com