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The U.S. merchandise-trade deficit widened for a second month to the highest level since a record in December as exports dipped.

WASHINGTON — A federal infrastructure funding package is within reach, but lawmakers need to act soon, according to Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).

Economists expect the trade war between the world’s two largest economies to get worse before it gets better — culminating in a deal by year-end.

The U.S. average retail price of diesel fell 1.1 cents to $3.160 a gallon. Oil prices slipped to $61 a barrel as the United States and China imposed higher tariffs on the other’s goods, which chilled the outlook for demand.

China announced plans to raise duties on some American imports starting June 1, defying a call from President Donald Trump to resist escalating a trade war that is sending stock futures tumbling and clouding the outlook for the global economy.

President Donald Trump said that the U.S. will boost its purchases of domestic farm products for humanitarian aid in an effort to offset lost demand from China as trade tensions flare between the nations.

The U.S. trade deficit with China decreased to the narrowest in almost three years as imports slowed and exports advanced, offering President Donald Trump a chance to claim his tariff war is yielding the desired results just as negotiations reach a critical stage.

The president of United Auto Workers Local 1112 in Lordstown — whom Trump attacked on Twitter two months ago — is among a handful of workers whose job is to do maintenance at the inactive compact car factory that made its last Chevrolet Cruze in March. He was left in the dark about GM’s talks to sell the factory.

China’s top trade negotiator Liu He will travel to the United States this week for high-stakes talks as prospects dimmed for maintaining a fragile truce after President Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods starting May 10.

With China bent on dominating the future of electric vehicles, President Donald Trump is likely to erect trade barriers targeting that technology in the form of stiff new tariffs that will have staying power, according to a consultant on the country’s auto market.