US trade deficit narrows to $55.9B in April, below estimates

The US goods and services trade deficit narrowed slightly in April as exports rose more than imports, official figures showed Tuesday.

The trade gap decreased by $0.7 billion to $55.9 billion in April, from a revised $56.6 billion in March, according to the US Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The markets had expected the deficit to come in at $56.2 billion in April.

Exports totaled $327.1 billion in April, up $8.3 billion from the previous month, while imports increased $7.6 billion to $383 billion.

The decline in the overall deficit reflected a $2.4 billion decrease in the goods deficit to $83.7 billion. The services surplus, however, fell by $1.7 billion to $27.8 billion.

In the first four months of the year, the goods and services deficit dropped by $213.5 billion, or 49.1%, compared with the same period in 2025.

Exports increased by $128.2 billion, or 11.3%, year-on-year in the January-April period, while imports fell by $85.3 billion, or 5.5%.

The monthly trade balance is closely watched by markets as a component of US gross domestic product calculations. A narrower deficit can support growth figures, while a wider gap may weigh on the headline GDP reading depending on the movement in exports and imports.

The latest figures came after US trade flows were shaped in recent months by shifts in goods demand, inventory adjustments, and uncertainty over global supply chains and trade policy.