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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Heather Stewart

UK economy showed surprise 0.5% growth before Iran war

Shoppers are reflected in the window of a store in Covent Garden, London
Surveys have shown UK business and consumer confidence declining sharply. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA

UK GDP expanded by a stronger than expected 0.5% in February, official figures show, suggesting the economy was gaining momentum before the onset of war in the Middle East dashed hopes of recovery.

The jump, reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), was significantly bigger than the 0.1% forecast by economists. January’s flatlining figure was also revised up, to 0.1% growth.

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