That changed the focus from March's decline, showing slowing growth, to the three-month average of job growth for this year.

On a three-month average, the deficit fell to $6.3 billion at latest reading from $7.5 billion in January.

On a three-month moving average, the American trade deficit declined to $10.4 billion from $11.1 billion, today's report also showed.

That brought the three-month moving average for imports down to $184.3 billion, the lowest level since June.

For example, you could use a line graph showing a moving three-month average.

The three-month moving average now is 4.03 percent, down from 4.07 percent the previous three months and the lowest it has been since February 1970.

The stock dropped by 10, to 105 3/4, on 2.29 million shares traded, nearly 10 times its three-month daily average of 297,300.

The three-month average of multi-family starts is also up.

That three-month average has fallen from 145,000 over the previous 12 months and much higher numbers in 1999.

For the third consecutive day, turnover dropped below the three-month average.