28/09/2005

UK GDP figures reveal small rise

The latest figures for the UK economy have revealed the slowest rate of growth since 1993.

The figures from the Office of National Statistics published today showed that the economy grew by just 0.5% in the second quarter of 2005, which means that the annual rate has had to be revised downward to 1.5%, down from 1.8%.

While the service sector grew by 0.6%, growth in the last three months, driven by a rise within the business services and finance, government and hotels and catering sectors, manufacturing output declined by 0.2%.

In the three months to June, the ONS figures revealed that the paper, printing and publishing industries declined by 2.1% and the coke, refined petroleum and nuclear fuel industries declined by 7.8%. Energy supply rose by 1.0% and energy extraction rose by 0.3%. Construction output rose by 0.6% in the latest quarter.

Household expenditure rose by 0.4%, following 0.1% growth in the first quarter of 2005. This increase was double that predicted.

Over the quarter exports rose by 4.4%, driven mainly by exports of goods which rose 6.7%, while exports of services fell by 0.1%. Imports rose by 1.9% as imports of goods rose by 2.4% and imports of services rose by 0.4%.

Chancellor Gordon Brown conceded earlier this week that the economic growth was unlikely to reach the forecast 3 to 3.5% for 2005.

A retail survey from the CBI, which looks at distributive trades has predicted a difficult Christmas for retailers. The study, which compares retailers reporting sales increases with those reporting sales decreases, revealed a -24% score, the lowest figure yet produced in the survey.

The poor economic performance figures have led to speculation that the Bank Of England's Monetary Policy Committee, which is due to announce the interest rate, will hold the rate.

(SP/KMcA)

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