The ONS said the goods trade gap narrowed to £5.44 billion from a revised record £5.9bn in August and was wider than the £5.3bn economists had expected.

is still huge but getting a bit narrower due to exports and more subdued consumer demand at home," said Ross Walker, UK economist at RBS Financial Markets.

The ONS said the UK was a net importer of oil for the second straight month, something not seen since monthly records began a quarter of a century ago.

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