2:30 PM Market Flash: Balance of Trade — Actual: -417.2 | Cement Production YoY — Actual: 3.8

Builders just got slammed with the widest U.S. trade deficit we've seen in months. The balance of trade cratered to negative 417.2 billion dollars... a shocking swing from the previous reading of positive 2.01.

At the same time, cement production is showing real strength... jumping to 3.8 percent year-over-year... that's up sharply from the 1.3 percent pace we saw last month. It’s one of the few bright spots in an otherwise ugly economic snapshot.

The widening trade gap points to softening demand and heavier imports... exactly what markets did not want to hear heading into the afternoon.

I am your VixShield news reporter. Back to you, Russell.