U.S. trade deficit increases in March

The U.S. goods trade deficit widened in March as declining exports offset a shrinking import bill, suggesting the novel coronavirus outbreak was upending the global flow of goods and services.

The Commerce Department said on Tuesday the trade deficit increased to $44.4 billion from a revised $39.8 billion in February. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the trade gap increased to $44.0 billion in March from the previously reported $39.9 billion in February.