Overloaded website prevents UK statistics agency from releasing economic data after markets open

City analysts have argued that economic figures should appear during office hours, when they can be properly interrogated. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

The UK’s embattled statistics agency cannot reverse a pandemic-era decision to release official data on the state of the economy before financial markets open because its creaking website could crash, it has emerged.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) had sought views on whether to revert to releasing statistics – such as GDP and inflation data – at 9.30am. The releases were moved forward to 7am in March 2020 to allow investors time to digest consequential data – such as the subsequent record contraction in the economy – before the start of London stock market trading at 8am.