[Ferro-Alloys.com] The U.S. trade deficit of goods and services increased in April, as exports edged down and imports surged, the Commerce Department said on June 4th.

The total trade deficit swelled to 47.2 billion U.S. dollars in April, up 3 billion dollars from that in March. It was 6.8 billion dollars more than that of last year, the data showed.

Exports decreased 300 million dollars to 193.3 billion dollars, reflecting less overseas sales of capital goods, foods and automobiles, while imports advanced by 2.7 billion dollars from the previous month to 240.6 billion dollars, as purchases of consumer goods and capital goods increased, the data revealed.

On not seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. goods deficit with China increased to 27.3 billion dollars, up from 20.4 billion dollars in March. Deficit with the European Union widened to 14 billion U.S. dollars from 11.5 billions dollars in March.

Trade deficit has been a drag on U.S. economic growth for years. The Commerce Department said last week that trade deficit subtracted 0.95 percentage points from the gross domestic product growth in the first quarter, bigger than the initial estimate of 0. 83 percentage points.

• [Editor:Yueleilei]