(CN) — The U.S. trade deficit widened for the second straight month in July, reaching the highest level since February, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
The government said the deficit in goods and services — the difference between what America sells and what it buys from other countries — rose to $50.1 billion in July from $45.7 billion in June.
Exports slipped 1 percent to $211.1 billion, while imports increased 0.9 percent to a record $261.2 billion on increased purchases of trucks and computers.
Overall, the trade deficit was up 7 percent for the first seven months of the year, compared to January-July 2017.
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