The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the gap between what the US sells and what it buys abroad widened 11.6 percent in March, to $44.4 billion, from $39.8 billion in February. US exports fell 9.6 percent, to $187.7 billion, on plunging orders for cars, auto parts and industrial machines. Imports fell 6.2 percent, to $232.2 billion.

Total trade — exports plus imports — came in at $419.9 billion in March, down 7.8 percent from February and 11.4 percent from March 2019.

The politically sensitive deficit in the trade of goods with China fell 21.3 percent, to $15.5 billion, in March as exports rose slightly and imports plummeted.

The coronavirus and the lockdowns and travel restrictions meant to contain it have hammered the world economy and paralyzed global trade.

In March, the US ran a $21.2 billion surplus in the trade of services such as tourism and banking. But it registered a $65.6 billion deficit in the trade of goods such as cars and appliances.