February 9, 2022
1 min read

US trade deficit soars to record high in 2021

The trade gap represented 3.7 per cent of US gross domestic product in 2021, up from 3.2 per cent in 2020…reports Asian Lite News

US trade deficit in both goods and services rose to a record $859.1 billion in 2021 as imports surged, the US Commerce Department has reported.

US imports rose by 20.5 per cent to $3.39 trillion in 2021 while exports climbed by 18.5 per cent to $2.53 trillion, according to the department.

The trade gap represented 3.7 per cent of US gross domestic product in 2021, up from 3.2 per cent in 2020, Xinhua news agency reported.

“A surge in imports to fuel domestic demand for goods caused the trade deficit in goods and services to widen 27 per cent in 2021 and reach its largest annual deficit on record,” Tim Quinlan and Shannon Seery, Economists at Wells Fargo Securities, said on Tuesday in a note.

“As the economy faces its third year with the virus, we expect to see a further widening in the deficit in 2022. The need to replenish inventory in the US will keep imports strong even as domestic demand transitions back to services,” the Economists said, adding more volatile growth in exports will result in trade being a drag on US economic growth in each quarter of the year.

“Eventually as domestic demand begins to slow and the global recovery continues, we expect trade to become more of a neutral force on headline growth in 2023,” they said.

The US economy grew 5.7 per cent in 2021, partly due to the massive fiscal and monetary support, following a pandemic-induced contraction of 3.4 per cent in 2020, according to the department.

Analysts said rising inflation also played a role in the surge of US imports as American consumers paid higher prices. The US consumer price index rose 7 per cent in December 2021 as compared to same period in 2020, the largest 12-month increase since June 1982.

ALSO READ: Ukraine standoff: More US troops in Eastern Europe

Previous Story

EU chalks out 15bn-euro plan to tackle chip shortage

Next Story

Macron meets Ukrainian counterpart, discuss peace

Latest from USA

Gates to Give 99% Away 

Spread out over time, this will enable the foundation to invest an additional $200 billion (£150.8 billion) in its core focus areas, primarily global health and U.S. education, over the next two

IT’S A DEAL 

The announcement of the US-UK trade deal provided a political victory for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and provided a degree of validation for Trump’s claims that his turbulent approach to trade may

Trump urges restraint  

President Donald Trump expresses concern over the escalating situation between India and Pakistan and stated that he would offer any possible help to de-escalate tensions    President Donald Trump expressed his concern

Up to 1,000 transgender troops moved out

Department officials have said it’s difficult to determine exactly how many transgender service members there are The Pentagon will immediately begin moving as many as 1,000 openly identifying transgender service members out
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Trump accuses Harris of anti-Semitism

Trump criticised Harris for declining to attend Israel PM Benjamin

Ukraine standoff: Beijing fishing in troubled water

In Chinese policymakers’ strategic calculation, it is vital to prevent