The US goods trade deficit widened 2.1% to $134.9 billion in September, marking its largest level since March 2025. This exceeded economists' expectations of $130.2 billion. Imports rose 2.4%, primarily driven by a 7.5% surge in capital goods, including computers, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment, which supports AI data center expansion. Exports increased 2.6% but were insufficient to offset the growing import bill.