For more currency & commodity news & info, visit http://ufx.co/UFXM-youtube... In the USA the trade deficit expanded in December to a six month high as the improving economy led to larger gains in imports than exports. The gap increased 3.7 percent to $48.8 billion from $47.1 billion in November, reported by the Commerce Department in Washington last week. Retail sales were speculated to rise in January by the most in four months, marked by the biggest increase in auto purchases since 2009, economists stated before a report this week.