from Rt Jordan e *
Preliminary figures issued by the U.S. Commerce eye ee cots hel 13 show a sharp deterioration in the balance of payments posi Ae ene second quarter of this yeare The deficit was running at an ene seine nearly 3,000m dollars (£,071m.) compared with a revised figure of a . 800m dollars for the first quarter. The increase in the deties¥ was not ‘ unexpected - there had been a very big inflow of funds during March y bia was largely reversed in April. Whilst too much cannot be read into the results for one quarter, the figures do not awgur well for the steps taken by the Administration to improve the position and if repeated will lead to further action being contemplated. Ed. note: cf. next item.