Erratic commodities (including non-monetary gold) had a large impact on headline movements in the three months to October 2017; the total UK trade (goods and services) deficit excluding erratic commodities widened by £0.8 billion to £6.9 billion.

The trade in goods deficit with non-EU countries narrowed by £2.9 billion, while the deficit with EU countries widened by £1.2 billion in the three months to October 2017; excluding erratics, the deficit with EU countries widened by £1.9 billion due to a larger increase in imports.

The UK's total trade deficit (goods and services) excluding erratic commodities narrowed by £0.1 billion between September 2017 and October 2017, due primarily to a decrease in goods imports of crude oil from non-EU countries.