US trade deficit widened to USD 57.6b in February, up USD 0.9b from USD 56.7b in January. Exports rose USD 3b to USD 137.2b. Imports also rose USD 3.3b to 213.2b.
The February figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($3.4), Hong Kong ($3.1), Brazil ($0.9), United Kingdom ($0.6), and Singapore ($0.5).
Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($34.7), European Union ($15.3), Germany ($6.7), Mexico ($6.6), Japan ($6.0), Italy ($2.8), OPEC ($2.3), India ($1.9), Taiwan ($1.5), France ($1.4), South Korea ($1.1), Saudi Arabia ($0.4), and Canada ($0.4).
US initial jobless claims rose 24k to 242k in the week ended March 31, well above expectation of 223k. But it’s still at an ultra low level historically. Prior week’s figure was revised up by 3k to 218k. The four week moving average was up 3k to 228.25k. Continuing claims dropped -64k to 1.81m, lowest since December 1973.
