he U.S. trade deficit grew to a record $68.9 billion in October, as crude oil prices surged and exports dropped by the most in four years, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
The record gap followed a revised $66 billion deficit in September, Commerce said. Imports rose 2.7% and exports rose 1.7%.
The U.S. trade deficit with China, Canada and Mexico all reached records, the department said.
The record deficit exceeded economists’ forecast of a decline in the trade gap to $62.8 billion, Bloomberg reported.