UK Economics Chart Pack Economy makes a stuttering start to Q2 After a disappointingly-weak Q1, the economy looks to have made a pretty slow start to Q2. Admittedly, the measly 0.1% expansion in GDP in Q1 was partly due to weather effects. However, there are... 3rd May 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Outlook for real pay brightens Abstracting from the effects of the snow, the big picture remains one of pretty feeble high-street activity. But we doubt consumer spending growth will weaken further. CPI inflation now appears to be... 19th April 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Growth suffers weather-related dip The National Accounts showed that the economy barely slowed at all in 2017. Annual growth, revised up from 1.7% to 1.8%, was only marginally lower than 2016’s 1.9% outturn. Since then, however, the... 5th April 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Continued weakness on the high street February’s retail sales figures showed that spending growth has been fairly feeble so far this quarter. As such, it would now take a monthly increase in excess of 2% in March to see sales in Q1 match... 22nd March 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery in PMIs eases fears of continued slowdown Following a downward revision to quarterly GDP growth in Q4, from 0.5% to 0.4%, a deterioration in all three of the headline PMI balances in January raised concerns that growth had continued to slow... 6th March 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Sluggish start to the year for retailers It is always a challenge to get a proper reading of the underlying strength of consumer spending growth around this time of year, with changing seasonal sales patterns (including the introduction of... 16th February 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economy loses some pace at the start of 2018 The survey evidence released so far paints a pretty downbeat picture for growth at the start of the year. Indeed, falls in the manufacturing, construction and services sector PMI left the all-sector... 6th February 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Spending suffers as inflation peaks December’s retail sales figures were pretty disappointing, suggesting that the sector grew by 0.4% in Q4 as a whole, half of Q3’s 0.8% rate. What’s more, growth in non-retail spending is likely to... 23rd January 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economy gathered a little momentum in Q4 The latest survey evidence suggests that the economy ended 2017 on a reasonable footing. Indeed, despite a fall-back in both the manufacturing and construction PMI surveys in December, the all-sector... 4th January 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Decent start to festive period With real incomes under pressure from subdued nominal pay growth and rising inflation, the strong rise in retail sales volumes in November is encouraging. However, spending on the high street might... 14th December 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economy maintaining its momentum in Q4 The Office for National Statistics confirmed that GDP grew by 0.4% in Q3 and the economy appears to have maintained its recent momentum so far in the fourth quarter. Indeed, November’s Markit/CIPS... 5th December 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Spending suffers as inflation nears peak With real incomes under pressure from subdued nominal pay growth and rising inflation, it isn’t surprising that spending growth on the high street lost more momentum. Indeed, annual retail sales... 17th November 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economy re-gains some momentum The latest evidence suggests that the economy has picked up some pace in the second half of the year. For a start, quarterly GDP growth edged up from Q2’s 0.3% rate, to 0.4% in Q3. And October’s... 6th November 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Spending holding up as pay squeeze reaches its worst There can be no question that consumer spending growth has suffered as nominal pay growth has lagged behind the ongoing currency-driven bout of higher inflation. But some of the slowdown in consumer... 19th October 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economy struggling to pick up pace The latest evidence suggests that the economy has maintained a fairly modest pace in Q3. Indeed, the Markit/CIPS all-sector PMI is consistent, on the basis of past form, with quarterly GDP growth of 0... 5th October 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Consumers remain resilient despite pay squeeze There has been little let up in the squeeze on consumers’ finances. But until now, at least, the consumer has been showing impressive resilience, with high-street spending having grown strongly over... 20th September 2017 · 1 min read