Trade balance is set to hit new low

摘要

The UK's ballooning manufacturing deficit is causing alarm as domestic goods lose out to products from countries with lower interest and exchange rates. Monthly trade figures, due for release on Thursday, were expected to indicate the balance of trade sliding deeper into the red to a full-year manufacturing deficit of around £25bn. The deficit stood at £20.9bn in 1999, having more than doubled since 1997 from £7.6bn.