Economy grows slowly 


The economy continues to grow, but at a slower rate, according to new official data.


Rolling three-month growth for gross domestic product (GDP) was 0.3% in May 2019, the second consecutive slowing in growth since the 0.5% seen in the first quarter of the year, when there was a change in the timing of activity around the originally planned departure date of the UK from the EU. 


Both the services and production sectors grew by 0.3% in the three months to May 2019, contributing positively to headline GDP growth. However, construction growth was flat over the same period, with zero contribution, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.


Within the production sector, growth in manufacturing slowed to just 0.1% on the back of production cutbacks and production line closures in the car industry. 


The three-monthly increase in manufacturing was due mainly to widespread strength with nine of the 13 subsectors increasing, partially offset by a strong fall of 4.6% from transport equipment.


For the three months to May 2019 compared with the same three months to May 2018, production output increased by 0.4%, with a notable rise in manufacturing of 0.6%.


www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/gdpmonthlyestimateuk/may2019


www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/bulletins/indexofproduction/may2019