Trade gap likely points to slower economic growth

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is selling fewer products around the world and spending more on cheap imported goods, an imbalance that hurts the job market at home and means the economy is even weaker than previously thought.

The trade deficit of nearly $50 billion for June is the biggest in almost two years, and economists fear that economic growth for the second quarter, which came in at a sluggish rate of 2.4 percent in early estimates, may turn out to be only half that.

"The problem is that to the extent we have a recovery in the United States, it is pulling in a lot of imported goods. That means it is not translating into production and jobs at home," said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight.

Exports for June were down 1.3 percent, to $150.5 billion, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. At the same time, imports rose 3 percent, to just over $200 billion.

Overall, the trade deficit grew by 19 percent for the month.

The manufacturing sector has been a bright spot in an otherwise sluggish recovery, and if manufacturers have a hard time finding places to sell their products overseas, it could weaken the broader economy.

While U.S. manufacturers have reported increased demand from Asia, exports to Europe are falling behind as that region of the world struggles with fallout from its debt crisis. The deficit with the European Union alone increased 26 percent.

The trade figures show the United States can't rely on demand overseas to make up for its own weak economy at home, said Paul Dales, U.S. economist at Capital Economics, another forecasting firm.

President Barack Obama gave the manufacturing industry a little help Wednesday. The president signed legislation that would reduce and suspend tariffs on certain materials U.S. companies must import to make their products. That could make U.S. products cheaper overseas.

A major problem for U.S. manufacturers is the rise in value for the dollar against some foreign currencies. On Wednesday, the dollar surged against many currencies around the world. A stronger dollar makes U.S. goods more expensive overseas while at the same time making foreign products cheaper for American consumers.

At the same time, China has refused to heed the Obama administration's demands that it allow its currency to rise in value against the dollar. A weaker dollar against the yuan would make American products more competitive in China while making Chinese goods more expensive in the United States.

The U.S. trade deficit with China jumped to $26.2 billion in June, a 17.4 percent increase from May and the largest one-month gap since October 2008.