US trade gaps widen in March as AI spending boosts imports

The Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East on a globe under a magnifying glass in Shanghai, China on March 26, 2026. [AFP]

The US trade deficit grew slightly less than expected in March, government data showed on Tuesday, as spending linked to the artificial intelligence buildout boosted imports.

But US exports of crude oil and petroleum products also jumped after war in the Middle East began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. This could narrow the gap in the following month, analysts said.