FRENCH PAYMENTS SURPLUS SHRINKS IN JANUARY France's current account payments surplus slipped to a provisional 300 mln francs, seasonally adjusted, in January from a downward revised surplus of 3.8 billion in December, the Finance Ministry said. The December figure was revised from a provisional 4.8 billion franc surplus reported a month ago. On an unadjusted basis, January payments showed a 5.2 billion franc deficit after a revised 7.1 billion December surplus. The December unadjusted surplus was revised down from a provisional 8.2 billion. The Ministry said trade, measured on balance of payments criteria, showed an unadjusted 7.1 billion franc January deficit while services showed a 3.7 billion surplus. Other items, mainly including unilateral transfers, showed a 1.8 billion deficit. The current account showed an adjusted surplus of 6.1 billion francs in January last year, and an unadjusted deficit of one billion. The full year 1986 current account surplus was reported last month at 25.8 billion francs.