Oil Imports Lead to Trade Deficit Surge

WASHINGTON - The trade deficit rose to the highest level in six months as a big jump in oil imports offset a narrowing of the politically sensitive deficit with China.

The gap between what the United States imports and what it sells to the rest of the world rose to $63.9 billion in March, up 10.4 percent from the February level, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Almost two-thirds of the deterioration in the deficit reflected a 17.6 percent jump in oil imports, which climbed to $24.6 billion, the highest level in six months.

The imbalance with China fell by 6.4 percent to $17.2 billion in March, the smallest gap in 10 months as U.S. exports to China set a …