U.S. trade deficit trending down

The United States trade deficit increased 5.3 percent ($1.9 billion) in April 2016 compared with March, but has shrunk 4.8 percent year-over-year during the first four months of the year.    The U.S. trade deficit is down 4.8 percent year-to-date compared to the first four months of 2015, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. And the goods and services deficit over a three-month moving average decreased $1.6 billion to $39 billion.
   Average exports of goods and services increased $1 billion to $181.7 billion, while average imports decreased $600 million for the three months ending in April.
   Month-over-month, the balance in trade kicked up 5.3 percent, or $1.9 billion, from March to $37.4 billion. April exports grew $2.6 billion to $182.8 billion, while April imports stood at $220.2 billion, $4.5 billion more than the previous month.
   The April increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $1.4 billion to $58.8 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $500 million to $21.4 billion, the Commerce Department said.