<h1>Trade balance widens as merchandise deficit and services surplus combine to raise the provisional overall deficit.</h1> Merchandise trade for April 2018 showed year on year increases in exports and imports in both dollar and rupee terms, with non petroleum/non gems & jewellery exports rising and oil imports expanding sharply due to higher global Brent prices; commodity level quick estimates highlight sectoral gains and declines. Services receipts and payments for March 2018 were positive in dollar terms, producing a services surplus. Combining merchandise and services yields a larger provisional overall trade deficit for April-March 2017-18, with all figures and commodity estimates labelled provisional and sourced to RBI and official releases.