U.S. trade deficit narrowed to $64.3 bln in Sept.

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) The U.S. trade deficit narrowed more than expected in September, as oil import prices fell for the first time in five months and U.S. exports edged higher to a new record, a Commerce Department report showed on Thursday.

The trade gap totaled .3 billion, down from a revised record estimate of billion in August. Wall Street analysts surveyed before the report had expected falling oil prices and imports to narrow the trade gap to around billion.

The average price for imported oil dropped to .52 per barrel in September, from .12 in August, as the U.S. summer driving season came to a close and oil inventories rose. The volume of oil imports also declined in September.

The lower tab for imported oil helped cut overall imports slightly more than 2 percent to 7.5 billion in September, the first decline after six straight monthly gains. Imports of capital goods, autos and auto parts and food, feed and beverage also fell.

However, imports of high-technology products rose to a record .2 billion and imports from China increased 3.3 percent to a record .6 billion. The trade deficit with that country also grew 4.6 percent to a record .0 billion.

The year-to-date trade deficit with China totaled 6.3 billion, keeping it on a pace to easily surpass last year's record of 2 billion.

U.S. exports of goods and services rose fractionally higher in September to a record 3.2 billion, led by energy products and other industrial supplies and materials. Exports of civilian aircraft and other capital goods also showed gains.

U.S. exports to South and Central America hit a record in September, while exports to Germany were the second highest on record.

REUTERS SBA RN2029