PAPER SAYS U.S. TRADE DEFICIT CUT TO 13.65 BILLION
  The Washington Post said the U.S.
  Commerce Department yesterday issued a new report showing that
  the U.S. Merchandise trade deficit was 13.65 billion dollars in
  February, a reduction of 1.4 billion dlrs from the 15.06
  billion figure the department reported only two days earlier.
      The newspaper said: "News of the unexpectedly large 15
  billion deficit helped batter the dollar's value on foreign
  exchange markets and boosted U.S. Interest rates.
      "However, the new report went largely unnoticed by financial
  markets since such a downward revision in the deficit is a
  monthly occurrence."
      The Washington Post said: "By law, the department must first
  publish what a top commerce official agreed are misleading
  trade figures and then wait 48 hours before putting out the
  more accurate ones."
      No one was immediately available at the Commerce Department
  for comment on the Washington Post report.
  

