The U.S. international trade deficit was $71.4 billion in March, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Friday, up half-billion dollars from February, or 0.7%.

Exports rose $1.4 billion to just above $140 billion, but imports rose even more, up $2 billion to just under $212 billion over the last month. Wholesale inventories remained flat at $668 billion, while retail inventories declined 0.3% to just $657 billion.