Export rise narrows UK trade deficit

Office for National Statistics says trade gap reduced by 2.7bn in the second quarter of this year with sales of chemicals, fuel and cars rising

Britain's exporters narrowed the trade gap with the rest of the world in the second quarter to 4.8bn - the lowest quarterly gap for four years - despite the recent strength of the pound.

The Office for National Statistics said a 2.9bn increase in exports had helped to reduce the trade deficit in the April to June quarter by 2.7bn, compared with the previous three months.