How Long-Term Unemployment Is Reshaping the Trade Deficit

Episode 36 of The Trade Deficit Podcast looks beyond the headline numbers to a surprising connection: the surge in long-term unemployment is dragging down consumer spending on imported goods, widening the goods trade deficit in a different way. Lucas and Luna break down how the rising share of workers out of a job for 27 weeks or more is creating a structural drag on imports, while exports struggle to fill the gap. They tie this to the latest trade balance data (a $60.3 billion deficit in March 2026) and the May jobs report due this Friday. If you've wondered why the trade deficit keeps growing even as the dollar strengthens, this episode offers a fresh angle—through the lens of the labor market. Specific, data-driven, and surprisingly personal. #TradeDeficit #LongTermUnemployment #JobsReport #Imports #Exports #LaborMarket #May2026 #TradeBalance #ADP #CNBC #Economics #Podcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #TradeFlows #ConsumerSpending #StructuralUnemployment Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo