June 6 Reuters The U.S. trade deficit widened in April as a jump in imports outpaced a slight increase in exports.

The trade deficit increased 8.7 to 74.6 billion, the Commerce Department39;s Bureau of Economic Analysis said on Thursday. Data for March was revised to show the trade gap narrowing slightly to 68.6 billion instead of the 69.4 billion as previously reported.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the deficit would rise to 76.1 billion in April.

The economy grew at a 1.3 annualized rate last quarter after expanding at a 3.4 pace in the OctoberDecember period.

Imports rose 2.4 to 338.2 billion in April. Goods imports rose 8.1 billion to 271.9 billion. There were increases in imports of motor vehicles and parts and capital goods such as computer accessories and telecommunications equipments, as well as industrial supplies and materials, which include crude oil.

Services imports edged down 0.1 billion to 66.3 billion.

Exports edged up 0.8 to 263.7 billion. Goods exports increased 2.2 billion to 172.7 billion. There were increases in exports of capital goods and consumer goods, while industrial supplies and materials fell. Exports of services declined 0.2 billion to 172.7 billion.

Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Paul Simao

Source Reuters