US trade deficit drops 6.6% to 19-month low just before Trump tariffs

Bloomberg News / Landov

The numbers: The nation's trade deficit plummeted 6.6% in May and slid to its all-time low level for 19 months. The deficit fell to 43.1 billion dollars in May, against 46.1 billion dollars in April, said Friday the Department of Commerce. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast a deficit of $ 43.6 billion.

Before tariff threats warmed, the US trade gap was about to widen in 2018 to reach its highest level in a decade. This is still the case, although it is unclear how tariffs will affect the deficit in the coming months.

What Happened: Exports rose 1.9% to a record $ 215.3 billion. The United States has shipped more passenger planes and soybeans, among other things.

Some buyers may have refilled certain goods before the tariffs came into effect to block prices and build up a supply reserve.

Imports rose 0.4% to $ 258.4 billion. The United States imported more wireless phones and computers and fewer drugs

. The trade deficit has fallen to its lowest level since the month prior to Donald Trump's election, but because of significant changes in trade. The United States is still on track to record the widest gap since 2008.

Read: Harley-Davidson is not leaving for Europe simply because of Trump's tariffs

Large Image: A series of US rights on steel and aluminum aliens triggered retaliation China, Europe and Canada are fighting to see who flashes first. The White House Trump claims that other nations are unfair and it demands better trading conditions.

Investors and businesses fear no one, leading to a protracted struggle that undermines a booming US economy and growth in the rest of the world.

The threat of a trade war is pretty much the only negative for the United States right now. On Friday, the government also reported that the economy created 213,000 new jobs in June.

Read: Why Trump thinks he can win a never-ending fight over the trade with other countries

See also: Trump pushes the United States closer to # 39, an unthinkable trade war. Wall Street is defeated and it could be much worse

Market reaction: Dow Jones Industrial Average

DJIA, -0.03%

and the S & P 500

SPX, + 0.11%

were due to open lower on Friday. The stock market has fluctuated in recent months due to concerns over the intensification of the trade war. Both indexes retreated from record highs earlier in the year.

10-year Treasury yield

TMUBMUSD10Y, -0.36%

decreased slightly to 2.82%. After reaching 3.1% in May, output also declined in response to rising trade tensions.