WASHINGTON, April 13: The US trade deficit fell slightly to $58.4 billion in February, as the balance of trade with China improved and petroleum costs dipped, the Commerce Department reported on Friday.

The figure was a bit better than the average analyst estimate of a deficit of $60.5 billion.

Imports fell 1.7 per cent to $182.4 billion while exports declined 2.2 per cent to 124 billion.

The deficit for the first two months of the year was $117.3bn, down about nine per cent from a year ago and raising hopes that the string of ever-increasing deficits may be easing.—AFP