【英语国际】美国7月出口创新高 Exports push US trade deficit to six-month low

Record exports helped push the US trade deficit to its lowest level in six months in July, providing the world economy with another encouraging sign about the health of the US recovery.

The better than expected US data were the latest to show global trade holding up relatively well over the summer even amid growing evidence of a broader slowdown in Europe and other key parts of the world economy.

The US figures released yesterday showed seasonally adjusted exports of goods and services grew by 4.6 per cent to $198bn in July, its biggest monthly total on record.

The strong exports came alongside another record, with the politically sensitive trade deficit with China hitting $30.9bn, the vast bulk of the $40.5bn US trade deficit with the world. They were also helped by a 12 per cent increase from the month before in the shipment of automotive vehicles and parts and economists warned that strength was unlikely to be repeated in August.

But, together with a 4 per cent increase in imports, the new data added to what may be becoming a more optimistic picture for global trade after a gloomy start to the year.

Global trade appears unlikely to hit the 4.7 per cent growth for 2014 that the World Trade Organisation has predicted, largely because of the slow start this year. The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, a government think-tank that collates data from around the world, said last month that global trade had grown by just 1 per cent in the second quarter after contracting by 0.6 per cent in the first three months.

There have been, however, a growing number of signs in recent months that trade has been accelerating and that July was particularly strong.

China recorded its biggest monthly trade surplus in July as exports jumped 14.5 per cent. Japan’s exports rose 3.9 per cent that month with imports also rising, albeit at a slower 2.3 per cent over the year before. Eurozone trade data for July are due later this month.

创纪录的出口促使美国贸易逆差在7月降至半年来最低水平，给世界经济带来又一个令人鼓舞的迹象，显示美国复苏强劲。

好于预期的美国数据是全球贸易在夏天保持相对良好态势的最新证明，即使越来越多的证据显示，欧洲和世界经济的其他关键部分出现了更大范围的经济放缓。

美国昨日发布的数据表明，经季节因素调整后的商品和服务出口在7月增长4.6%，至1980亿美元，是有史以来最高的月出口额。

美国出口强劲也伴随着另一项纪录，具有政治敏感性的美国对华贸易逆差达到309亿美元，占美国405亿美元总贸易逆差的绝大部分。提升美国出口的一个因素是7月汽车和零部件的装运量比上月提高12%，经济学家警告，这一强劲态势不大可能在8月再次出现。

然而，连同进口提高4%的情况，美国的新贸易数据为更为乐观的全球贸易形势进一步增色，此前全球贸易在年初经历了暗淡的开局。

全球贸易今年似乎不太可能像世贸组织(WTO)预测的那样实现4.7%的增长，主要是由于起步缓慢。荷兰政府下属的智库——荷兰经济政策研究局(Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis)收集和整理世界各地的经济数据。该机构称，全球贸易在今年头3个月收缩0.6%之后，第2季度仅增长1%。

不过，近几个月有越来越多的迹象表明，贸易正在加速，7月的贸易格外强劲。

中国7月的贸易顺差创下新高，出口激增14.5%。同月日本的出口提高3.9%，进口增速虽不及出口，但仍同比增长2.3%。欧元区7月的贸易数据将在本月晚些时候发布。

译者/许雯佳