Trade deficit drops in Canada, widens in US; Jobless claims fall

(March 7, 2013) -- The Jan. 2013 Canadian merchandise trade deficit of $0.2 billion was better than the $0.6 billion expected. In Jan. 2013, the US trade deficit widened to $44.5 billion from $38.1 billion in Dec. 2012. Initial US jobless claims fell to 340,000 in the week ended March 2, 2013 from a revised 347,000 in the previous week.