The U.S. trade deficit widened more than forecast in March as the highest oil prices in more than two years boosted imports, eclipsing record exports, Bloomberg reported.

The trade gap rose 6 percent to $48.2 billion, the biggest since last June, from $45.4 billion in February, the Commerce Department reported today. The median forecast of 72 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected it would widen to $47 billion. Sales abroad climbed by the most in 17 years.

Crude oil prices that surged above $100 a barrel for the first time in more than a year and a 9.4 percent drop in the dollar will probably keep driving up the cost of imports. At the same time, the weaker currency is making American goods more competitive to customers in emerging markets from Argentina to China, benefiting manufacturers such as United Technologies Corp. and Caterpillar Inc.

“The manufacturing sector continues to see good demand for its merchandise,” David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities International Inc. in New York, said before the report. “We have several cross-currents on trade.”

Imports climbed 4.9 percent to $220.8 billion, the highest level since August 2008, from $210.4 billion. A jump in fuel prices and increasing demand for autos and computers led the gain.

Exports increased 4.6 percent, the biggest gain since March 1994, to $172.7 billion. Increasing demand overseas for autos, chemicals and industrial machinery contributed to the advance.