The US trade deficit increased more than expected in December on rising imports and higher oil prices, lifting the 2011 gap figure to the highest level since the financial crisis. Separately, consumer sentiment slumped in early February as concerns over falling incomes outweighed renewed optimism over jobs. Imports were up 13.8 per cent to $2.7tn, as purchases of foreign cars surged. In December, exports rose for the first time in three months, up 0.7 per cent to $178.8bn, led by industrial supplies and materials, cars and food and beverages. Imports increased at almost twice that rate, rising 1.3 per cent to $227.6bn, as the US bought more capital goods, consumer products, cars and industrial supplies and materials abroad. Also on Friday, a survey of US consumers showed sentiment fell more than forecast at the beginning of this month. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to 72.5 from 75 in January, which was an 11-month high. The median estimate of economists was 74.8. The measure of current economic conditions pulled back to 79.6 from 84.2, while expectations for the future declined to 68 from 69.1. Fewer people reported an improving financial situation, with a quarter of households saying their income had declined. "The personal financial situation of consumers remained dreary," said Richard Curtin, survey director. But he noted that at the same time, "more consumers spontaneously mentioned hearing about increases in employment and job opportunities than ever before recorded in the long history of the surveys." The survey followed last week's government report on payroll growth, which showed a surprisingly strong 243,000 new workers added in January and the unemployment rate dropping to 8.3 per cent.