UK GDP increased by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2015, according to the Office for National Statistics' initial reading, the tenth consecutive quarter of positive growth.
The estimate, which is in line with economists' expectations, is an increase on first quarter figures which reported growth of just 0.4%. The ONS added that the annual rate of growth stood at 2.6% for the second quarter. However, growth remains unbalanced: the services sector increasing 0.7% and production increasing by 1%, while construction remained flat and agriculture fell by 0.7%. The business services and finance sector grew by 0.8%, up from 0.1% in the first quarter. Azad Zangana, senior European economist at Schroders, said: "Overall, the latest GDP figures suggest that ...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes