U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, May 2026

News Release
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, May 2026
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $77.6 billion in May, up $23.0 billion from $54.6 billion in April, revised.
Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)
May exports were $317.7 billion, $10.5 billion less than April exports. May imports were $395.3 billion, $12.5 billion more than April imports.
The May increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $23.6 billion to $106.5 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $0.6 billion to $28.9 billion.
Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit decreased $203.9 billion, or 40.6 percent, from the same period in 2025. Exports increased $164.7 billion or 11.7 percent. Imports decreased $39.2 billion or 2.1 percent.
Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)
The average goods and services deficit increased $7.5 billion to $62.9 billion for the three months ending in May.
- Average exports increased $2.0 billion to $321.5 billion in May.
- Average imports increased $9.5 billion to $384.5 billion in May.
Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit decreased $23.8 billion from the three months ending in May 2025.
- Average exports increased $36.1 billion from May 2025.
- Average imports increased $12.4 billion from May 2025.
Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)
Exports of goods decreased $11.3 billion to $210.6 billion in May.
Exports of goods on a Census basis decreased $11.6 billion.
- Industrial supplies and materials decreased $5.5 billion.
- Nonmonetary gold decreased $6.2 billion.
- Other precious metals decreased $1.3 billion.
- Natural gas decreased $1.1 billion.
- Crude oil increased $2.0 billion.
- Capital goods decreased $3.5 billion.
- Computers decreased $2.1 billion.
- Computer accessories decreased $2.0 billion.
- Consumer goods decreased $2.1 billion.
- Pharmaceutical preparations decreased $0.9 billion.
Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.3 billion.
When incorporating the statistics in this release into BEA’s National Economic Accounts, including Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, BEA replaces exports and imports of nonmonetary gold with an adjustment calculated as the difference between domestic production and industrial use of gold. For additional information, see “How are exports and imports of gold recorded in BEA’s International Economic Accounts?” and “How are exports and imports of nonmonetary gold treated in BEA’s National Economic Accounts?”.
Exports of services increased $0.8 billion to $107.1 billion in May.
- Travel increased $0.4 billion.
- Other business services increased $0.1 billion.
- Transport increased $0.1 billion.
- Financial services increased $0.1 billion.
Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)
Imports of goods increased $12.3 billion to $317.0 billion in May.
Imports of goods on a Census basis increased $12.1 billion.
- Consumer goods increased $3.5 billion.
- Pharmaceutical preparations increased $1.9 billion.
- Cell phones and other household goods increased $1.0 billion.
- Industrial supplies and materials increased $3.1 billion.
- Crude oil increased $1.5 billion.
- Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $2.2 billion.
- Passenger cars increased $1.0 billion.
- Other goods increased $1.4 billion.
- Capital goods increased $1.1 billion.
- Computer accessories increased $1.2 billion.
- Semiconductors increased $1.0 billion.
- Computers decreased $3.4 billion.
Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.2 billion.
Imports of services increased $0.2 billion to $78.2 billion in May.
- Insurance services increased $0.2 billion.
Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)
The real goods deficit increased $15.8 billion, or 18.7 percent, to $100.0 billion in May, compared to a 28.8 percent increase in the nominal deficit.
- Real exports of goods decreased $11.0 billion, or 6.6 percent, to $154.3 billion, compared to a 5.3 percent decrease in nominal exports.
- Real imports of goods increased $4.8 billion, or 1.9 percent, to $254.3 billion, compared to a 4.0 percent increase in nominal imports.
Revisions
Revisions to April exports
- Exports of goods were revised up $0.6 billion.
- Exports of services were revised up $0.5 billion.
Revisions to April imports
- Imports of goods were revised down $0.2 billion.
- Imports of services were revised down less than $0.1 billion.
Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)
The May figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($9.1), Hong Kong ($5.6), South and Central America ($4.8), Australia ($1.9), United Kingdom ($1.4), Brazil ($1.1), Singapore ($0.9), Belgium ($0.7), and Saudi Arabia ($0.3). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with Vietnam ($20.6), Mexico ($20.1), Taiwan ($19.4), China ($14.5), European Union ($9.3), Canada ($7.0), Germany ($5.7), Malaysia ($4.7), South Korea ($4.4), India ($4.1), Ireland ($4.0), Italy ($2.9), Switzerland ($2.3), Japan ($2.0), France ($1.5), and Israel ($0.4).
- The balance with Switzerland shifted from a surplus of $4.4 billion in April to a deficit of $2.3 billion in May. Exports decreased $6.9 billion to $2.0 billion and imports decreased $0.1 billion to $4.3 billion.
- The deficit with Mexico increased $5.3 billion to $20.1 billion in May. Exports decreased $1.5 billion to $33.4 billion and imports increased $3.9 billion to $53.5 billion.
- The deficit with France decreased $0.9 billion to $1.5 billion in May. Exports decreased less than $0.1 billion to $3.9 billion and imports decreased $0.9 billion to $5.4 billion.
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: August 4, 2026
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, June 2026