国际英语新闻：U.S. trade deficit continues to rise in 2Q

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The deficit in a broad measure of U.S. trade rose to 123.3 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of this year, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Thursday.

The increase represented a fourth consecutive quarterly rise of the U.S. current-account deficit -- the combined balances on trade in goods and services, income and net unilateral current transfers.

U.S. goods export gained 3.4 percent to 316.1 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter, according to the latest data, while U.S. goods imports in the same period expanded by a even bigger margin at 6.3 percent to 485.7 billion U.S. dollars.

Most of the import rise was accounted for by automobile products and consumer goods and among others, said the department.