UK trade gap widens by £300m in 2015
The UK's trade gap with the rest of the world widened by £300m in 2015, official figures show.
The deficit - the difference between the amount the UK imports and what it exports - stood at £34.7bn in 2015, the Office for National Statistics said.
The figures also contained December's trade data, which showed the deficit narrowed by £1.3bn in the month.
The goods deficit also fell, to £9.9bn from £11.5bn in November, thanks to a fall in imports of £1.7bn in December.
The trade deficit is one of the factors cited by analysts as a drag on UK economic growth, which has been exacerbated by the strengthening pound over the past few years.
A stronger pound makes UK exports more expensive for overseas customers.