The wider trade deficit came as the value of both imports and exports increased in December. The report showed that imports rose 1.9 percent to $177.2 billion while exports rose 2.1 percent to $111.5 billion.

With the increase in December, the trade deficit for 2005 reached an all-time high of $725.8 billion, up 17.5 percent from the previous record of $617.6 billion set in 2004. The increase came as a 12.9 percent increase in imports outpaced a 5.7 percent increase in exports.

The Commerce Dept. noted that the trade deficit as a percentage of U.S. gross domestic product rose to 5.8 percent in 2005 from 5.3 percent in 2004.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS NEWS

Asian-Pacific benchmarks finished mixed. The Nikkei dipped 2% in the morning but economic data, which supported industrial shares, helped the index to erase some of the losses and close 1.1% below the flat line. Taiwan Weighted index declined 0.5%. Among the gainers, Shanghai Composite rose 1% and South Korea’s Kospi reversed from losses to surge 1.85% after the Bank of Korea raised interest rate and institutional buying lifted banks and automotives.

European stocks extended losses to close down, pressured by lower start of U.S. markets on disappointing earnings outlook from Pfizer. However, gains in the auto sector on the back of strong earnings from Volkswagen limited losses The German DAX 30 lost 0.5%, the French CAC 40 fell 0.6%, and London’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.4%.

OIL, METALS, CURRENCIES

Crude oil prices eased back on falling fuels demand. Light sweet crude for March delivery fell 12 cents to $62.50 a barrel. Heating oil was steady at $1.6067 a gallon. Gasoline traded at $1.5147. Natural gas gained 2 cents to $7.455 per 1,000 cubic feet.

European gold traded lower Friday. In London gold fell to $547.60 bid per troy ounce from $559.60. In Zurich the precious metal traded at $550.40, down from $559.10. In Hong Kong gold climbed $3.10 to close at $559.5. Silver closed at $9.30, down from $9.56.

Copper for March delivery dropped 5.6 cents, or 2.4%, to $2.249 a pound on the Nymex.

The U.S. dollar turned mixed against other major currencies. The euro was quoted at $1.1927, down from $1.1970. The dollar bought 117.55 yen, down from $118.82. The British pound stood at $1.7463, up from $1.7398.

EARNINGS NEWS

Diagnostic Products Corp, (DP: chart), immunodiagnostic systems and immunochemistry producer, reported Q4 earnings of 43 cents a share, up from a profit of 37 cents a share a year-ago on 4% sales growth. The company announced that sales of its Immulite reagent products rose 6% to $95.4 million in Q4.

Arch Coal Inc, (ACI: chart), coal-mining company, reported a Q4 loss of 2 cents a share, down from a net income of 32 cents a share in the year-ago period. The company incurred one-time items in Q4 of 2005, including a gain from asset sales and charges for a mine fire in Colorado and a legal settlement in West Virginia, without which the company’s income would have been 25 cents a share, still missing analysts forecast for earnings of 29 cents a share.

Visteon Corp, (VC: chart), automotive systems supplier, reported Q4 earnings of $10.25 a share, reversing from a year-earlier loss of $1.10 a share. Q4 results included a gain of $1.8 billion related to an asset sale, $335 million in asset impairment charges, and $28 million in restructuring expenses. The year-earlier period included restructuring expenses of $41 million. Sales declined in Q4 to $2.87 billion from $4.52 billion in the same period a year ago.

Avista Corp, (AVA: chart), energy company, reported Q4 net income of 52 cents a share, up from 46 cents a share a year-ago. Avista confirmed its forecast for 2006, for consolidated earnings to be in the range of $1.30 to $1.45 a share.

Coventry Health Care Inc, (CVH: chart), managed health care company, reported Q4 earnings of 77 cents a share, up from a profit of 67 cents a share a year-earlier on revenue growth. If not for a loss related to Hurricane Katrina, the company posted a profit of 81 cents a share, beating analysts’ expectations for a profit of 80 cents a share.

SCANA Corp, (SCG: chart), electricity and natural gas company, reported earnings of 65 cents a share, up from 37 cents a share in the year-ago period on higher margins on sales of electricity and natural gas, beating analysts’ forecasts of 60 cents a share.

Caraustar Industries Inc, (CSAR: chart), recycled paperboard company, reported a Q4 loss from continuing operations of $1.24 a share, down from an equivalent profit of 29 cents a share a year-ago. If not for items such as $40.3 million in restructuring and impairment costs, the company earned a penny per share in Q4, in line with analyst estimate. Sales inched down to $211 million in Q4 from $211.7 million in the same period a year ago.