US Treasury to borrow $276 bln in fourth quarter

WASHINGTON Nov 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department said on Monday it expected to borrow a net $276 billion through sales of marketable debt during the October-December quarter, much less than it previously anticipated.

The fourth-quarter borrowing total was $209 billion less than forecast in July, due in part to paydowns in a Supplementary Financing Program that Treasury operates to raise money to support Federal Reserve liquidity programs instituted to revive lending after the housing market crash.

The October-December borrowing needs include $15 billion for the Fed's SFP. (Reporting by Glenn Somerville and Nancy Waitz, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)