Economy expands


The UK economy grew in the second quarter of the year, official figures show.


The economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), increased by 0.7% in the second quarter of the year compared with the previous quarter, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The increase is unrevised from the second estimate produced at the end of August.


Production output (manufacturing mining and utilities) posted a 0.7% quarterly increase, unrevised from the previously published estimate, but manufacturing decreased by 0.5%.


The service industries, which account for over three-quarters of the economy, grew by 0.6%, a revision downwards of 0.1 percentage points from the previous estimate.


GDP increased by 2.4%, on the same quarter 2014, a revision downwards of 0.2 percentage points from the previously published estimate.


The ONS also revised the annual growth figure for 2014 down by 0.1 percentage point to 2.9%.


www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_417863.pdf