P122 CEEFAX 122  Sat 13 Feb  22:30/30
      1/2 
    
    
         INFLATION RATE DROPS    
                                        
 The year-on-year rate of retail price  
 inflation has fallen to a 15-month low 
 of 3.3pc.                              
                                        
 This compares with the 3.7pc recorded  
 in the 12 months to December and is the
 lowest figure since the 3.0pc reached  
 in September and October of 1986.      
                                        
 Prices were, on average, unchanged in  
 January, leaving the UPI (base Januar= 
 1987) at 103.3.                        
                                        
 Prices of household goods registered a 
 fall of 1pc in January, while prices of
 clothing and footwear dropped by 2.2pc.
                                        
            CITYNEWS Index 139          
                                        
                                        
   P122 CEEFAX 122  Sat 13 Feb  22:31/33
      2/2 
    
    
         US DEFICIT IMPROVES     
                                        
 Furthjt evidence that the dollar's fall
 is doing something for America's huge  
 trade gap comes with the December trade
 figures from Washington.               
                                        
 These show the visible deficit falling 
 to $12.20bn from $13.22bn in November. 
                                        
 Exports jumped by 4.2pc to a record    
 $24.80bn, while imports were virtuall8 
 unchanged at $37.00bn. But the deficit 
 on manufacturing trade rose to $12.69bn
 from $12.22bn in November.             
                                        
 * The deficit for 1987 was a record    
 $171.22bn, after $156.16bn in November.
                                        
            CITYNEWS Index 139