P107 ORACLE 107 Thu26 Dec ITV 2055:55
                                
  NORTH SEA OIL                 
  OUTPUT SLIPS BACK             
                                        
 The surge in North Sea oil output      
 faltered last month, according to new  
 figures out today.                     
                                        
 Production fell by 64,000 barrels per  
 day, ending an unbroken series of      
 monthly rises since June, in the Royal 
 Bank of Scotland's Oil Index.          
                                        
 The fall brings output down below two  
 million barrels per day for the fir;t  
 time since August.                     
                                        
 If the fall continues, it could be bad 
 news for the economy — energy sector   
 production increases earlier this yrar 
 were responsible for boosting GDP.     
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