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UK economy grew by 0.6% at the start of 2026, ONS confirms - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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UK economy grew by 0.6% at the start of 2026, ONS confirms

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on June 30, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: June 30, 2026

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ONS Confirms UK Economy Growth of 0.6% in First Quarter of 2026

UK Economic Growth Data Released by ONS

Official GDP Figures for Q1 2026

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Britain's economy grew by 0.6% in the January-to-March period, as expected, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed on Tuesday.

Economist Expectations and Previous Estimates

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the reading for gross domestic product to be unrevised from a provisional estimate of 0.6% growth which was published by the ONS last month.

Report Contributors

(Reporting by Suban Abdulla; Editing by Sarah Young)

Key Takeaways

  • Q1 2026 GDP grew 0.6% quarter‑on‑quarter, up from 0.2% in Q4 2025, in line with forecasts (ons.gov.uk)
  • Services drove growth with output up 0.8%; production rose 0.2% and construction rebounded with 0.4% growth (ons.gov.uk)
  • Real GDP per head increased 0.6%, or 0.9% year‑over‑year; however, April saw a 0.1% contraction, signaling early signs of economic softening (ons.gov.uk)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did the UK economy grow in early 2026?
The UK economy grew by 0.6% in the January-to-March period of 2026.
Who provided the economic growth data for the UK?
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) provided the economic growth data.
Did the UK GDP growth match economists’ expectations?
Yes, the 0.6% growth matched both provisional estimates and economists' forecasts.
When was the provisional estimate of UK GDP growth published?
The provisional estimate was published by the ONS last month.

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