The UK inflation rate fell in November to 4.1%, figures have shown, less of a decline than analysts had expected.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate fell from 4.5% in October. Some economists had expected the CPI rate to fall to 3.9% in November.

The headline rate of Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation, which includes housing costs, declined to 3% in November from 4.2% in October.

Inflation is continuing to fall on the back of lower oil and energy costs.

Mail report 'to suggest sell-off'

A report into the future of the Royal Mail due out later is expected to call for the service to be part-privatised.

The study by former media watchdog boss Richard Hooper was commissioned by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).

A BERR spokeswoman has declined to comment on whether it would back any partial sell-off recommendation.

The spokeswoman said no comment would be made by the department until the report was released.

Former deputy chairman of Ofcom, is also expected to show a big rise in the Royal Mail's pension fund deficit.

This may now total as much as £7bn.

Strike action

The report is further expected to recommend modernisation for the service, with potential job losses as a result.

The government has committed itself to maintaining the "universal service" – daily deliveries to every UK home, and collections from all post boxes.

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