New Bureau of Labor Statistics report paints a promising picture of US exports
Exports from the US hit an all-time high in October, bringing the trade deficit with Europe and China to unusually low levels, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The report indicated that U.S. exports rose $ 16.8 billion in October, while imports rose only $ 2.5 billion, bringing the trade deficit to its lowest level since last January, offsetting several troubling months of rising trade deficits. in summer and autumn.
The growth in exports was driven by an increase in exports of industrial materials and materials by $ 6.4 billion, while significant increases in the production of capital goods, food and beverage, consumer goods, auto parts and vehicles contributed to the increase in exports.
Overall, the overall reduction in the trade deficit decreased by 17.6 percent compared to September.
The report is seen as cause for optimism among economists, although it will be difficult to predict if this trend will continue in the coming months. Recently, the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus threatened to restrict international travel and trade in the short term.
“At the start of the fourth quarter, it appears that net exports are approaching GDP growth, although recent volatility in monthly numbers makes it difficult to spot any underlying trend,” said JPMorgan economist Daniel Silver, quoted by Reuters. “We continue to see upside risks to our forecast for real GDP growth of 7.0% for the fourth quarter.”
For the United States, the trade deficit with China is not only an economic but also a geopolitical issue. Export control is a key feature of China’s soft power strategy, which exploits the world’s dependence on Chinese goods to influence policymakers in foreign countries.
As the United States is able to reduce its trade deficit with China, it will have more leverage to defend its interests against China’s ambitions for regional hegemony.
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