Economy grows in second quarter


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


In its second estimate of gross domestic product, the Office for National Statistics said the economy, increased by 0.6% in the April-June quarter on the previous quarter. The growth figure is unrevised on the preliminary estimate published at the end of July. 


Output increased in two of the four main industrial groupings within the economy in the second quarter. Services increased by 0.5% and production output increased by 2.1% — both figures are unrevised from the preliminary estimate. 


Manufacturing, the largest component of production, saw output up by 1.8% in the second quarter compared with the first.


Two industrial groups — agriculture and construction — posted decreases in output of 0.3% and 0.7% respectively.


In the second quarter, GDP was 2.2% higher than the same quarter a year ago.


www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/secondestimateofgdp/quarter2aprtojun2016