Oct Trade Deficit Widens Sharply Ahead Of...>

UK DATA: Oct Trade Deficit Widens Sharply Ahead Of Brexit Deadline

- UK Oct total deficit Stg5.188bn from Stg1.922bn Sep 

- UK Oct goods deficit Stg14.486bn from Stg11.521bn previous

- UK Q3 total deficit Stg1.410bn vs Stg11.656bn Q2 (rev from stg6.410bn)

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The UK's total trade deficit widened sharply in October, with some 

evidence of firms bringing forward business ahead of the end month 

Brexit deadline. EU goods imports rose to stg23.751bn in October, up 

from stg22.757bn, with National Statistics officials noting that there 

was increased activity in the chemicals and transport sectors, which 

were the same sectors that reported stockpiling before the previous 

Brexit deadline. The volatile non-monetary gold component also drove the 

deficit wider, rising stg1.4bn on the month, The Q3 total deficit was 

revised even tighter to show a gap of just Stg1.410 billion, reduced 

from stg6.410bn previously.