Patrick Temple-West

WASHINGTON - The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly increased to a seasonally adjusted $42.3 billion in May, the highest deficit since November 2008, as exports and imports increased to their highest levels in almost two years, the Commerce Department reported today.

BOSTON – U.S. governors this weekend called for greater fiscal discipline in their states to calm bond market fears over their debts, but they offered little consensus on efforts to extend certain federal government stimulus programs, specifically Build America Bonds.

WASHINGTON — The Maryland Transportation Authority this week expects to price $299 million of revenue bonds for construction projects, the bulk of which will finance continuing construction of the InterCounty Connector.

Wholesale inventories rose for a fifth consecutive month in May as companies filled their shelves in anticipation of greater demand, according to the Commerce Department.

Wholesale inventories increased 0.5% in May, above economists’ estimates, but wholesale sales fell for the first time in more than a year, the Commerce Department reported today.

Jobless claims fell more sharply than economists expected last week as new filings for unemployment benefits dropped 21,000 to 454,000, the Labor Department said.

Consumer borrowing sank in May by $9.1 billion, or 4.5%, and borrowing for April was revised downward as commercial bank lending retreated, the Federal Reserve Board reported today.

Initial claims decreased to 454,000 for the week ending July 3, the lowest level in more than a month, as continuing claims fell to the lowest level in 20 months, the Labor Department reported today.

Investors and the state of South Carolina are haggling over who will get a bigger share of revenue from a bankrupt bond-funded toll road.

Factory orders fell 1.4% in May — double economists’ estimates — to post their first decline in nine months, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

Nonfarm payrolls lost 125,000 jobs in June, even though the private sector added 83,000 positions, as the federal government wound down temporary employment for the 2010 Census, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Factory orders fell 1.4% in May, more than double economists’ estimates and the first decline in nine months, the Commerce Department reported today.

Nonfarm payrolls dropped by 125,000 in June and private nonfarm payrolls increased by 83,000 as the federal government wound down temporary employment for the 2010 Census, the Labor Department reported today. The unemployment rate fell to 9.5, the lowest level eleven months.

WASHINGTON — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s outlook was revised to negative by Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday, ahead of a $350 million revenue bond transaction it has scheduled for later this month.

Construction spending in May declined 0.2%, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The drop was less severe than economists’ estimated and represents the first decline since February.

Initial jobless claims rose more than expected the week ending June 26 as new filings for unemployment benefits increased 13,000 to 472,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Construction spending in May declined 0.2%, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The drop was less severe than economists’ estimated and represents the first decline since February.

Initial jobless claims rose more than expected the week ending June 26 as new filings for unemployment benefits increased 13,000 to 472,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON — About 30 states must revisit their fiscal 2011 budgets to compensate for the loss of expected enhanced federal matching Medicaid funds that were in a jobs bill Congress failed to approve last week.

The consumer confidence index posted its first decline in four months in June as it fell below economist estimates to 52.9, the Conference Board reported yesterday.