
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 19, 1990                   TAG: 9004190327
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

U.S. TRADE DEFICIT FALLS TO 6-YEAR LOW

The United States in February recorded its smallest trade deficit in more than six years, a $6.49 billion imbalance that reflected a sharp drop in oil imports, the government said Wednesday.

The figure was $2.8 billion less than the previous month.

The Bush administration, which is counting on strong export growth this year to boost a sluggish domestic economy, hailed the dramatic narrowing of the deficit. But some private economists cautioned that the improvement could be short-lived, since it came primarily from a huge 20 percent drop in oil imports that's not likely to be sustained. - Associated Press

by CNB