The U.S. trade deficit widened for the second straight month in December, pushed higher by rising oil prices and imports of cars and planes.
The U.S. deficit in international trade of goods and services increased 3.7% to $48.80 billion from a revised $47.06 billion the month before, the Commerce Department said Friday. The November trade gap was originally reported as $47.75 billion.
Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected the gap to climb to $48.5 billion.
Full story: U.S. Trade Deficit Widens