U.S. September exports rose 3.1%

   The U.S. Commerce Department’s Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday that exports for September rose 3.1 percent to $187 billion and imports increased 1.5 percent to $228.5 billion.
   Goods exports increased by $5.4 billion to a record high of $134 billion. Services exports rose by $0.3 billion to $53 billion, also a record.
   The trade deficit narrowed 5.1 percent from August to September to $41.5 billion–“significantly better than market expectations that the monthly deficit would grow,” the Commerce Department said.