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US Trade Deficit Widens, Jobless Claims Fall

   VOA News 10 June 2010

   The U.S. trade deficit has widened to its highest level in more than a
   year, as exports fell more than imports.
   A  new  report Thursday from the Commerce Department shows the deficit
   at $40.3 billion in April, a slight increase from the previous month.
   Despite  an  overall  fall  in U.S. exports of goods and services, the
   report  shows  a  slight  rise  in  sales  of  industrial supplies and
   automobiles.
   A  separate  report  shows  the  number of Americans filing first-time
   unemployment  claims  fell slightly last week - a sign of hope for the
   struggling U.S. jobs market.
   The Labor Department says the number of laid-off workers filing claims
   fell by 3,000 to a total of 456,000.
   The  report  says  the  number of people continuing to receive jobless
   benefits  after  their  first week of aid fell by 255,000, the largest
   decline in over a year.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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