WASHINGTON The US trade deficit in goods narrowed in June as exports rebounded, but trade likely remained a drag on economic growth in the second quarter.

The goods trade gap contracted 2.5% to US$96.8 billion , the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Wednesday. The deficit widened in the prior two months.

The government is scheduled to publish its advance estimate of second-quarter GDP growth on Thursday. Gross domestic product likely increased at a 2.0% annualised rate last quarter, according to Reuters survey of economists.

Trade subtracted from GDP in the first quarter, with the economy growing at 1.4% pace during that period.

  - Reuters