Trade gap widens more than expected in January

The trade deficit in January widened more than expected as fuel oil exports slumped and crude oil imports rose, a U.S. government report showed on Thursday.

The monthly trade gap totaled $44.4 billion, higher than a consensus estimate of $42.6 billion from analysts surveyed before the Commerce Department report.

The department also lowered its estimate of the December trade gap to $38.1 billion, from $38.5 billion previously.

(Reporting By Doug Palmer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)