SYDNEY: Australia’s surplus on trade goods widened in October, driven by a jump in shipments of gold and liquefied natural gas while imports went flat, data showed on Thursday.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported the balance on goods rose to A$5.953 billion ($3.83 billion), from A$4.532 billion in September and above market forecasts of A$4.55 billion.

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Exports rose 3.6% from a month earlier as gold exports jumped 44%, while imports edged up 0.1%.