British business activity slowed in September while inflationary pressures intensified, adding to a challenging economic backdrop for Finance Minister John Healey ahead of his first budget next month, according to survey data reported by Reuters.
The S&P Global UK Services Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 51.7 in September from 52.5 in August, marking a three-month low. The preliminary reading was below the 52.0 forecast in a Reuters poll of economists.