FRENCH PAYMENTS SURPLUS SHRINKS IN JANUARY
France's current account payments surplus
slipped to a provisional 300 mln francs, seasonally adjusted,
in January from a downward revised surplus of 3.8 billion in
December, the Finance Ministry said.
    The December figure was revised from a provisional 4.8
billion franc surplus reported a month ago.
    On an unadjusted basis, January payments showed a 5.2
billion franc deficit after a revised 7.1 billion December
surplus. The December unadjusted surplus was revised down from
a provisional 8.2 billion.
    The Ministry said trade, measured on balance of payments
criteria, showed an unadjusted 7.1 billion franc January
deficit while services showed a 3.7 billion surplus.
    Other items, mainly including unilateral transfers, showed
a 1.8 billion deficit.
    The current account showed an adjusted surplus of 6.1
billion francs in January last year, and an unadjusted deficit
of one billion.
    The full year 1986 current account surplus was reported
last month at 25.8 billion francs.
 REUTER
