UK posts record trade deficit despite December up turn
The
UK's Office of National Statistics indicated that the country's December trade deficit in goods was £4.43 billion, slightly better than November's £4.71 billion deficit. For 2004 as a whole, the
UK recorded a record trade deficit in goods of £57.6 billion.
The
UK's trade in services reported a surplus of £1.41 billion in December, down from £1.46 billion recorded in November.
As a result, the country's total trade in goods and services registered a deficit of £3.02 billion in December.
For the whole of 2004, the total deficit in goods and services trade reached an all-time high of £39.3 billion.