US exports gain as dollar stays weakened

WASHINGTON - The US trade deficit was probably little changed in October, reflecting a rise in exports as the dollar weakened and economies overseas led the global recovery, analysts said before a report this week.

The gap held at $44 billion for a second month, according to the median of 60 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey ahead of Commerce Department figures released on Dec 10. Other reports may show consumer confidence climbed this month and the cost of imported goods rose at a slower pace in November.

Importers in China, Brazil and Singapore are among the top 10 buyers of American-made goods this year as their economies grew in excess of 8 percent, almost three times as much as the US, benefiting companies such as General Dynamics Corp. The gains in exports are offsetting increasing US purchases abroad as the world's largest economy recovers.