Narrower Trade Gap to Boost Second-Quarter Growth: Economy

America’s trade deficit narrowed more than forecast in June to the smallest in almost four years as a reduced dependence on foreign oil helped give a boost to the world’s largest economy.

The gap shrank 22.4 percent to $34.2 billion, the lowest since October 2009, from a revised $44.1 billion in May that was less than previously estimated, the Commerce Department reported today in Washington. The shortfall was smaller than all estimates in a Bloomberg survey. Another report showed job openings rose during the same month.