Britain’s economy showed few signs of rebalancing in December as the trade deficit jumped and industrial production took a blow - though economists hope it is just a blip in a positive longer-term trend. The closure of the Forties pipeline for repairs slashed oil and gas output by 24.2pc month on month while the higher global oil price pushed up import costs, just as those imports increased. Poor services trade numbers also contributed to the £4.9bn deficit in December, the Office for National Statistics said, a rise of £1.2bn on the month.