Summary: Service Exports and the US Trade Deficit

A trade deficit is defined by the amount by which a country’s imports exceeds the value of its exports. The US has consistently held a trade deficit since the 1970s; as of the end of 2016, the deficit had risen to $502 billion. This trade deficit has been a “political hot potato,” particularly with respect to China, on the assumption that a sustained deficit weakens the overall economy. But is that accurate? In this B-School for Public Policy Seminar Summary, Professor Gomes takes a closer look at the economics of boosting service exports as a means of rebalancing the US trade deficit and, in the process, sheds new light on policy discussions regarding the future of America's trade agreements.