The U.S. trade deficit came in at $ 40.9 billion in April, down 19.2 percent from the nearly seven-year high reached in March, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
Experts had forecast a reduction in the trade deficit in April but expected it to be smaller.
In its report, the Commerce Department downwardly revised its trade deficit figure for March, when imports surged after the end of a West Coast ports labor dispute, from $ 51.4 billion to $ 50.6 billion.
Exports rose to $ 189.9 billion in April, up 1 percent from March and the highest monthly figure thus far in 2015.
U.S. exports have been hard hit in recent months by the sharp appreciation of the dollar.
Imports, meanwhile, declined by 3.3 percent in April to $ 230.8 billion, an expected drop after the strong surge in March.
The reduction in the trade deficit may help spur the U.S. economy, which contracted 0.7 percent in the first quarter, according to government figures. EFE
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