03/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/12/2026 06:34
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $54.5 billion in January, down $18.4 billion from $72.9 billion in December, revised.
| Deficit: | $54.5 Billion | -25.3%° |
| Exports: | $302.1 Billion | +5.5%° |
| Imports: | $356.6 Billion | -0.7%° |
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Next release: Thursday, April 2, 2026 (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 12, 2026 |
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Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)
January exports were $302.1 billion, $15.8 billion more than December exports. January imports were $356.6 billion, $2.6 billion less than December imports.
The January decrease in the goods and services deficit reflected a decrease in the goods deficit of $17.5 billion to $81.8 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $1.0 billion to $27.3 billion.
Year-over-year, the goods and services deficit decreased $73.9 billion, or 57.6 percent, from January 2025. Exports increased $28.4 billion or 10.4 percent. Imports decreased $45.5 billion or 11.3 percent.
Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)
The average goods and services deficit increased $7.8 billion to $61.1 billion for the three months ending in January.
Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit decreased $40.6 billion from the three months ending in January 2025.
Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)
Exports of goods increased $14.6 billion to $195.5 billion in January.
Exports of goods on a Census basis increased $14.8 billion.
Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.1 billion.
Exports of services increased $1.2 billion to $106.7 billion in January.
Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)
Imports of goods decreased $2.8 billion to $277.3 billion in January.
Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $3.0 billion.
Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.
Imports of services increased $0.2 billion to $79.3 billion in January.
Real Goods in 2017 Dollars - Census Basis (exhibit 11)
The real goods deficit decreased $14.0 billion, or 14.3 percent, to $83.9 billion in January, compared to an 18.0 percent decrease in the nominal deficit.
Revisions
Exports and imports of goods and services were revised for July through December 2025 to incorporate more comprehensive and updated quarterly and monthly data. In addition to these revisions, seasonally adjusted data for all months of 2025 were revised so that the totals of the seasonally adjusted months equal the annual totals.
Revisions to December exports
Revisions to December imports
Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly - Census Basis (exhibit 19)
The January figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with United Kingdom ($7.0), Netherlands ($6.4), South and Central America ($4.5), Switzerland ($3.0), Hong Kong ($3.0), Saudi Arabia ($2.2), Brazil ($1.8), Singapore ($1.7), Australia ($1.7), and Belgium ($0.9). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with Vietnam ($19.0), Taiwan ($17.3), Mexico ($12.8), China ($12.5), European Union ($6.1), South Korea ($6.0), Japan ($5.5), Germany ($4.9), Italy ($3.3), Malaysia ($3.2), India ($2.8), Canada ($2.7), Ireland ($2.4), France ($1.5), and Israel ($0.7).
Goods and Services by Selected Countries and Areas: Quarterly - Balance of Payments Basis (exhibit 20)
Statistics on trade in goods and services by country and area are only available quarterly, with a one-month lag. With this release, fourth-quarter figures are now available.
The fourth-quarter figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Switzerland ($24.1), Netherlands ($21.0), South and Central America ($19.6), United Kingdom ($15.9), Brazil ($14.2), Singapore ($10.1), Ireland ($10.0), Hong Kong ($7.2), Australia ($6.6), Belgium ($3.9), and Saudi Arabia ($3.3). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with Taiwan ($50.7), Mexico ($49.5), Vietnam ($47.7), China ($31.7), Germany ($21.6), India ($13.4), Japan ($10.8), South Korea ($9.4), Malaysia ($7.9), France ($7.5), Italy ($7.5), European Union ($4.5), Canada ($4.3), and Israel ($2.3).
All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau's Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA's website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.
Next release: April 2, 2026
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, February 2026
Change to the Euro Area
With this release of the "U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services" report (FT-900), statistics beginning with January 2026 for the area grouping "Euro Area" include Bulgaria, which adopted the euro as its currency effective January 1, 2026. This change affects exhibit 14 of the FT-900 and exhibit 4 of the FT-900 Supplement.
Release Dates for the Remainder of 2026
| Statistical Month | Date |
| February 2026 | April 2 |
| March 2026 | May 5 |
| April 2026 | June 9 |
| May 2026 | July 7 |
| June 2026 | August 4 |
| July 2026 | September 3 |
| August 2026 | October 6 |
| September 2026 | November 4 |
| October 2026 | December 8 |
Upcoming Updates to Goods and Services
With the releases of the FT-900 and the FT-900 Annual Revision on June 9, 2026, statistics on trade in goods, on both a Census basis and a balance of payments (BOP) basis, will be revised beginning with 2021 and statistics on trade in services will be revised beginning with 1999. The revised statistics for goods on a BOP basis and for services will also be included in the "U.S. International Transactions and Investment Position, 1st Quarter 2026 and Annual Update" report and in BEA's Interactive Data Application, both to be released by BEA on June 24, 2026.
Revised statistics on trade in goods will reflect:
Revised statistics on trade in services will reflect:
A preview of BEA's 2026 annual update of the International Transactions Accounts will be available in the Survey of Current Business in April 2026.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on 800-549-0595, option 4, or at [email protected] or BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at [email protected].