Goods exports rose $1.1 billion (26 percent) to $5.6 billion, a new high for monthly total exports. The previous high was $5.0 billion in March 2014.

Goods imports rose $494 million (11 percent) to $4.9 billion.

The monthly trade balance was a surplus of $640 million (12 percent of exports).

In the last five December months, there were two surpluses (in 2012 and 2013), and three deficits (2014, 2015, and 2016).

The December 2017 surplus was the largest in a December month, and the largest in any month since March 2015 ($661 million).