Keeping Track ...

America's trade deficit reached another record.

Tremors from the global financial crisis cut foreign demand for US goods, while a booming US economy drove imports of cars and consumer goods higher.

The deficit widened to $19.4 billion in February, a 15.6 percent increase from January's record $16.8 billion.

Separately, the International Monetary Fund forecast slow growth for the global economy, up just 2.3 percent this year compared with 2.5 percent last year. The IMF says the global crisis is bottoming out and forecast a rebound to 3.4 percent growth next year.