UK economic system grows 0.1% within the first quarter

The UK economic system eked out development within the first quarter of the yr, accelerating at a modest tempo to make sure that the economic system is just not at speedy threat of recession.

Quarterly development between January and March rose by 0.1 per cent in contrast with the identical interval final yr, in keeping with economists’ forecasts and matching weak development figures recorded on the finish of 2022.

The UK’s development outlook has brightened in current months after a pointy decline in world power costs diminished the possibilities of a recession hitting this yr. A recession is outlined as two consecutive quarters of falling development.

The Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS) mentioned that development in March had declined by 0.3 per cent, following no development in February and a 0.5 per cent enlargement in January. Increased quarterly output was the results of a 0.5 per cent development within the manufacturing sector, a 0.1 per cent rise in providers and a 0.7 per cent acceleration within the building business.

The UK’s general financial efficiency was hit by nationwide industrial motion by civil servants demanding higher pay. Output in schooling, well being and public administration all declined within the first three months of the yr because of strikes.

March’s outright fall in development could possibly be attributable to the strikes, the ONS mentioned, highlighting its enterprise surveys, which have discovered that one in ten companies throughout the nation have been affected by industrial motion.

The figures come a day after the Financial institution of England revised up its development outlook by the very best margin on document, wiping out its earlier predictions that the economic system would succumb this yr to the longest recession in half a century.

The Financial institution’s improve was the results of a 40 per cent decline in world gasoline costs this yr, coupled with authorities assist for family power payments and a better-than-expected world economic system serving to companies. The Financial institution now expects annual development to increase by 0.25 per cent this yr, in contrast with an earlier forecast of a 0.5 per cent contraction.

Economists anticipate that development within the second quarter will stay anaemic as a result of the continuation of strike motion and an extra financial institution vacation to mark the King’s coronation will weigh on output.

Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, mentioned: “It’s excellent news that the economic system is rising however to achieve the federal government’s development precedence we have to keep targeted on aggressive taxes, labour provide and productiveness.

“The Financial institution of England governor confirmed yesterday that the Price range has made an vital begin however we’ll hold going till the job is finished and we’ve the excessive wage, excessive development economic system we’d like.”

Samual Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, mentioned the UK stays the one G7 nation by which the primary quarterly measure of GDP has not recovered to its pre-Covid peak but. “This mainly displays weak point in households’ actual spending, which was 2.3 per cent under its This fall 2019 stage. However not less than the magnitude of the underperformance is just not rising relative to different nations in Europe, which have confronted a equally monumental power worth shock,” he mentioned.