UK public finances data suggest Hammond likely to hit deficit target

Britain cut its budget deficit by slightly less than expected last month but a better than previously thought performance in November could help Chancellor Philip Hammond to hit his target for the current financial year. Official figures on Tuesday showed public borrowing in December alone fell by 5 percent to 6.9 billion pounds, higher than a median forecast of 6.7 billion pounds in a Reuters poll of economists. The Office for National Statistics revised the shortfall in November to 11.3 billio