The deficit in Jordan's balance of trade grew by 43.4 percent in the first seven months of the year, to 4.222 billion dinars ($5.96 billion) from 2.944 billion dinars in the same period of 2007, according to official statistics released Saturday. The trade deficit expansion was blamed on a 38.2 percent rise in imports, which stood at 7.259 billion dinars in the first seven months of 2008 compared with 5.252 billion dinars in the same period of last year.
