The numbers: The nation's trade deficit in goods sank 17% in August to a two-year low, extending a run of big ups and downs as businesses try to time imports and exports in order to pay the least amount of tariffs. The trade gap in goods dropped to $85.5 billion in August from $102.8 billion in the prior month. Lower deficits add to gross domestic product, the official scorecard for the economy. Before the trade report, GDP was forecast to show a soft increase in the third quarter of between 1% and 1.5%. Key details: Imports dropped 7% to $261.6 billion in August, according to an advance version of the government's ... (full story)