The U.S. Census Bureau this week released advance indicators showing that the international trade deficit and wholesale inventories increased in February.

The international trade deficit was $86.7 billion in February, up $2.1 billion from $84.6 billion in January. Exports of goods for February were $130.1 billion, $5.1 billion less than January exports. Imports of goods for February were $216.9 billion, $3 billion less than January imports.

Wholesale inventories for February, adjusted for seasonal variations and trading day differences, but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $681.1 billion, up 0.5% from January 2021, and were up 1.8% from February 2020. The December 2020 to January 2021 percentage change was unrevised at up 1.4%.