With the Trump administration’s focus on trade policy reform and restructuring, there is renewed interest in the U.S. Census Bureau’s monthly trade reports. An advanced look at the September data will be issued on 25 October, and the official release will be on 2 November. The data for the month of August, however, showed a mixed bag for the administration’s three-part objective of increasing U.S. exports, boosting gross domestic product (GDP) and creating a positive trade balance. The August trade deficit in goods and services was $53.2 billion, up $3.2 billion from July. For the year, it is $31 billion or 8.6 percent higher versus the same period a year ago.
A primary catalyst of the trade gap is the reduction in exp...
What You Need to Know Today: After a period of limited activity, USDA reported a sizeable 613 KMT in soybean export sales, including 330 KMT to China and 283 KMT to unknown destinations, potentially also China. The purchases represent a meaningful pickup in demand and bring China closer to ful...
Key Takeaways: Consumer spending is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the latest retail sales data indicate that spending remains robust despite inflation. In September, total retail and food service sales rose more than 6 percent year-over-year, with food service spending up 7 percent and...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
