Nation : Trade Deficit Smallest in 3 Years

WASHINGTON — The deficit in the broadest measure of U.S. trade narrowed from July through September to the smallest imbalance in three years, the government said today, but some economists said the nation’s healthy trade improvement is in danger of stalling out next year unless the dollar falls further.

The Commerce Department said the deficit in the broadest measure of U.S. trade narrowed to $30.9 billion. It said America’s deficit in its current account fell 8.4% from a second-quarter level of $33.7 billion as U.S. manufacturers continued to enjoy a boom in export sales helped along by a cheaper dollar.