The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the gap between the goods and services the United States sells and what it buys abroad climbed 5.9% in August to $67.1 billion, highest since August 2006. Exports rose 2.2% to $171.9 billion on a surge in shipments of soybeans, but imports rose more — up 3.2% to $239 billion — led by purchases of crude oil, cars and auto parts.

The U.S. deficit with the rest of the world in the trade of goods such as airplanes and appliances set a record $83.9 billion in August. The United States ran a surplus of $16.8 billion in the trade of services such as banking and education, lowest since January 2012.

 

The trade of goods with China fell 6.7% to $26.4 billion.

 

So far this year, the United States has recorded a trade gap of $421.8 billion, up 5.7% from January-August 2019.

 

Hammered by the coronavirus and its fallout on the world economy, total U.S. trade -- exports plus imports -- is down 15.1% so far this year to $3.2 trillion.