If dollars were being repatriated, but as investment into financial instruments and real estate instead of purchases of goods and services, then that would not affect the trade deficit, right?
If dollars were being repatriated, but as investment into financial instruments and real estate instead of purchases of goods and services, then that would not affect the trade deficit, right?
I don't believe so. I don't think foreign equity and real estate purchases are counted in trade balance. Those assets never leave the US as exports.