美国12月份的贸易赤字增长约10%。美国12月进口产品比出口多402亿美元。
商务部星期三公布的报告说，贸易赤字上升主要是由于石油进口增加。一些经济学家说，这可能由于正在复苏的美国经济导致能源需求上涨。
由于美元贬值，外国买主购买美国产品的成本降低，导致美国出口增加。美国2009年全年的贸易赤字是8年来最小的，仅为3810亿美元。原因是，经济衰退减少了对进口产品的需求。
The U.S. trade deficit grew about 10 percent in December, as Americans bought $40.2 billion more goods than they sold to other nations.
Wednesday’s report from the Commerce Department says the increase was mostly due to growing oil imports. Some economists say that may be a sign of rising energy demand from a recovering U.S. economy.
U.S. exports also grew as the declining value of the dollar meant U.S.-made goods were less expensive for foreign buyers.The U.S. trade deficit for all of 2009 was the smallest in eight years (at $381 billion), as the recession cut demand for imported goods.