UK economy grew by 0.2 per cent in August: ONS

A shopping trolley is seen at a supermarket in Manchester, Britain, March 22, 2023. (Photo: Jon Super/Xinhua)

Services output rose 0.4 per cent in the month, becoming the main contributor to GDP growth, the ONS noted.

LONDON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom (UK) economy grew 0.2 percent month-on-month in August after a 0.6 percent decline in July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Thursday.

Services output rose 0.4 per cent over the month to become the main contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) growth, while manufacturing output fell 0.7 per cent and construction fell 0.5 per cent, the ONS noted.

In the service sector, education has returned to normal levels, while computer programmers and engineers have had a strong month, said Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the ONS.

In the three months to August, the UK economy grew by 0.3 per cent with growth in all sectors.

"The UK achieved growth in August, but only just, and showed how the burden of high borrowing costs and the wider cost of living crisis is still weighing heavily on consumer and company sentiment," said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets. at financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown.

XINHUA/USA