02/08/2013 - 8:30pm
The December 2012 international trade deficit decreased 20.7 percent from November, to $38.5 billion. Exports rose 2.1 percent, to $186.4 billion, and imports fell 2.7 percent, to $224.9 billion. In 2012 overall, the trade deficit declined 3.5 percent to $540.4 billion. Exports rose 4.4 percent, to $2,195.9 billion, and imports increased 2.7 percent, to $2,736.3 billion.