Highest US trade deficit in 9 years reported

The United States saw its largest trade deficit in nine years in 2017, jumping 12.1 percent to $566 billion.

Its trade deficit with China increased by $28.2 billion to $375.2 billion, according to the US Commerce Department's report released on Tuesday covering the country's international trade in goods and services.

In December alone, the US deficit grew by 5.3 percent to $53.1 billion. But the US-China trade deficit declined 13 percent in December due to a 7.5 percent jump in US exports and a 7.6 percent fall in imports.