UK trade deficit prompts alarm as exports fall

Analysts say narrowing trade gap from 3.5bn to 3.2bn was powered by a big drop in oil imports and UK exports are not improving

Britain's trade gap remained alarmingly high in November after exports fell to their lowest value since July.

Official figures showed the deficit in goods and services narrowed to 3.2bn compared with 3.5bn in the previous month, but this was only after a drop in oil imports and a 2.4bn fall in the value of "unspecified goods", mainly gold, brought into the country.

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