Swiss Trade Deficit Widens to $357 Million

Switzerland’s trade deficit widened to 922.8 million Swiss francs, or about $357 million, in April from 649 million francs a year earlier, the government reported.

Imports totaled 6.54 billion francs and exports totaled 5.61 billion francs. In April 1984, imports totaled 5.5 billion francs and exports 4.9 billion francs. A dollar currently buys just under 2 1/2 francs.

For the first four months of the year, Switzerland’s trade deficit amounted to 3.3 billion francs, or about $1.3 billion. That was down from a deficit of 3.6 billion francs in the same period last year.