French State Budget Deficit Wider on Year at End April

France's central state budget deficit was wider in the first four months of 2017 than in the same period a year earlier, as rising spending out-paced revenue increases, statistics showed Friday.

France's central state budget deficit--which doesn't include the accounts of local authorities and social security--was 57.9 billion euros ($63.2 billion) at the end of April, the budget ministry said. It stood at EUR56.5 billion at the end of April 2016.

The budget ministry said the balance at the end of April isn't representative of the outlook for state finances. State auditor the Cour de Comptes is due to publish a report in July on France's finances and whether the country will meet its target of bringing the overall deficit within 3% of economic output this year.

-Write to William Horobin at william.horobin@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 09, 2017 03:17 ET (07:17 GMT)