US trade deficit rises 8.7% to $74.6 billion in April

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US trade deficit rose 8.7% to $74.6 billion in April, according to data on Thursday from the Commerce Department's Census Bureau.

The expectation for the figure was to show a deficit of $76.2 billion.

The deficit figure for March was revised to $68.6 billion from $69.4 billion.

Exports in April were $263.7 billion, $2.1 billion more than in March; while imports were approximately $338.2 billion -- $8 billion more than the previous month.

"The April increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $5.9 billion to $99.2 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.1 billion to $24.7 billion," the Census Bureau said in a statement.

"Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $5.5 billion, or 2.0 percent, from the same period in 2023. Exports increased $32.2 billion or 3.2 percent. Imports increased $37.8 billion or 2.9 percent," it added.