New Delhi, Oct. 6 -- The US goods and services trade deficit widened sharply to USD 105.6 billion in August, rising USD 12.7 billion from a revised USD 92.8 billion in July, as a stronger increase in imports more than offset the rise in exports, according to data released by the US Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis on Tuesday.

August imports rose 4.3 per cent to USD 420.8 billion, while exports increased 1.4 per cent to USD 315.2 billion. The widening deficit reflected a USD 12.8 billion increase in the goods deficit to USD 136.6 billion, while the services surplus edged up by less than USD 0.1 billion to USD 31 billion.

The increase in imports was broad-based, with goods imports rising USD 17.2 billion to USD 342.2 billion....