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UK economy grows at fastest rate for more than two years
The Office for National Statistics said computer programming and AI-linked business activity drove the fastest quarterly expansion since early 2024.
On Nov 12, 2026, The Office for National Statistics reported Britain's economy grew 0.7% in the third quarter, the fastest quarterly rate since the first three months of 2024.
Britain's economy demonstrated resilience throughout 2026, expanding by 0.6% in the first quarter and 0.5% in the second quarter, providing momentum for the recent acceleration.
The ONS stated growth was "almost entirely" fuelled by strength in Britain's services sector, particularly computer programming, which grew at the fastest rate in three years.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the figures "welcome news," while the Bank of England upgraded its 2026 GDP expansion projection to 1.6%, surpassing the 1.2% forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Despite growth, economists warn that higher energy prices and rising interest rates may slow activity, as retail sales volumes fell in September and consumer confidence suffered its sharpest month-on-month decline since April 2020.