U.S. Trade Deficit Narrowed in November

The foreign-trade gap in goods and services fell 11.5% from the prior month, the Commerce Department said

Josh Zumbrun and

Sarah Chaney

Updated Feb. 6, 2019 9:28 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in November to its smallest amount in five months, driven by a drop in imports, especially from China.

The foreign-trade gap in goods and services fell 11.5% from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted $49.3 billion in November, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected the deficit to hit $54.3 billion.

Imports...