U.S. Trade Deficit Takes Record Jump
The U.S. trade deficit widened by $7.9 billion in June, the biggest increase since records began being kept in 1992, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
The 19% increase from May put in the gap between imports and exports at $49.9 billion, the highest level since October 2008, Commerce said.
The deficit was at the high end of economists’ forecasts of $38 billion to $50 billion, Bloomberg reported.
Imports climbed 3% to $200.3 billion, while exports fell by 1.3% to $150.5 billion, the biggest decline since April 2009.
