ONS says gap for goods trades widened to $14.3 billion in February

LONDON, April 9 (UPI) -- Britain's Office for National Statistics said the national trade deficit for goods climbed to $14.3 billion in February.

Exports of goods dropped by $450 million, while imports rose by $760 million, the statistics office said.

The decline in goods exports was led by non-ferrous metals and pharmaceuticals, while the rise in imports was led by pharmaceuticals and vehicles, the ONS said.

In the prior three months, the trade deficit for goods came $40.3 billion, a climb from the three-month total of $32.4 billion in the three months ending in January.

That data agency said the surplus in trades of services remained little changed in the month at $8.9 billion.