- Title: UK economy grows strongly in third-quarter, with hints of tougher times ahead
- Date: 9th November 2018
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LONDON STREETS PEOPLE SHOPPING IN LONDON
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2018 13:28
- Keywords: economy Brexit GDP trade Sterling Bank of England Westminster consumer spending London
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM + ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM + ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00495SB9FX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Britain's economy picked up pace during the third quarter, growing at the fastest rate since late 2016, but this may prove a high watermark ahead of Brexit, official figures showed on Friday (November 9).
Gross domestic product in the three months to September was 0.6 percent higher than in the previous quarter, matching the consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of economists, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.
Compared with a year earlier, the economy stood 1.5 percent larger, up from an annual rate of growth of 1.2 percent in the three months to June.
While Britain's economy outpaced the euro zone's by a large margin during the third quarter - helped by solid consumer spending during a warm summer and the soccer World Cup - there were some unpromising signs for the months ahead.
In September alone, Britain's economy stagnated for a second month running, compared with forecasts for a 0.1 percent expansion.
Sterling and British government bonds showed little reaction to the data, which were largely as expected.
The figures showed trade contributed strongly to growth over the third quarter, as imports of cars into Britain dropped sharply - tallying with weak car sales data.
Business investment unexpectedly contracted by 1.2 percent, the biggest drop since early 2016, adding to signs of rising caution among companies ahead of Brexit in March next year.
Surveys of companies over the last month suggest growth looks likely to slow sharply in the final months of 2018, as a boost to consumer spending from warm weather and the soccer World Cup fades away.
Last week the Bank of England forecast a slowdown in GDP growth to 0.3 percent for the last quarter of the year.
Britain's economy slowed after the June 2016 Brexit vote, its annual growth rate slipping from top spot among the Group of Seven group of rich nations to jostling with long-term laggards Japan and Italy for bottom place in the rankings. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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