PAPER SAYS U.S. TRADE DEFICIT CUT TO 13.65 BILLION The Washington Post said the U.S. Commerce Department yesterday issued a new report showing that the U.S. Merchandise trade deficit was 13.65 billion dollars in February, a reduction of 1.4 billion dlrs from the 15.06 billion figure the department reported only two days earlier. The newspaper said: "News of the unexpectedly large 15 billion deficit helped batter the dollar's value on foreign exchange markets and boosted U.S. Interest rates. "However, the new report went largely unnoticed by financial markets since such a downward revision in the deficit is a monthly occurrence." The Washington Post said: "By law, the department must first publish what a top commerce official agreed are misleading trade figures and then wait 48 hours before putting out the more accurate ones." No one was immediately available at the Commerce Department for comment on the Washington Post report.