US trade deficit widened in August to $40.73 billion

The US trade gap increased 3.0% from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted $40.7 billion in August, up $1.2 billion from $39.5 billion in July, revised, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Analysts were expecting a smaller deficit of $39.30 billion in August.

August exports were $187.9 billion, $1.5 billion or 0.8% more than July exports. August imports were $228.6 billion, $2.6 billion or 1.2% more than July imports.

Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit decreased $4.3 billion, or 1.3%, from the same period in 2015.