BALLADUR SEES ONLY TWO PCT FRENCH GROWTH IN 1987
French 1987 growth will probably be about
two pct, the same as last year, due to an international
environment that is less favourable than expected, Finance
Minister Edouard Balladur was quoted as saying.
    Treasury director Daniel Lebegue said last month that gross
domestic product is expected to grow by between two and 2.5 pct
this year, against an original target of 2.8 pct.
    Although in line with the latest Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimate of 2.1 pct growth,
the forecast will be balanced by growth in investments and
exports, Balladur said in an interview with the daily Les
Echos.
    Last month Balladur said French GDP had grown by just two
pct last year, compared with an initial 1986 target of 2.5 pct
and 1.1 pct growth in 1985.
    He told Les Echos he aims to reduce the 1988 budget deficit
to 115 billion francs from this year's figure of 129 billion
and compared with a 141 billion deficit in 1985.
    He has already announced his intention of cutting the
deficit to 100 billion francs in 1989.
 REUTER
