The U.K. merchandise trade deficit narrowed from a year ago, preliminary data from the Office for National Statistics showed Tuesday.
The visible trade deficit decreased to GBP 9.9 billion from GBP 11.5 billion in November. Economists had forecast a shortfall of GBP 10.4 billion. The narrowing was due to a fall in imports, the ONS said.
A year ago, the deficit was GBP 13.5 billion.
The total trade deficit narrowed to GBP 2.7 billion from GBP 4 billion in November.
Exports declined 0.8 percent from the previous month and imports droped 3.6 percent.
In 2015, the total trade deficit was GBP 34.7 billion versus GBP 34.4 billion in the previous year. The larger trade gap was attributed mainly to a 0.2 percent decline in exports.
The deficit on trade in goods was at a record high of GBP 125.0 billion in 2015.
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