Britain’s economy has contracted for the first time in eight months amid signs that the Iran war is beginning to take its toll on some sectors.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 0.1 per cent in April in a sharp pullback from growth of 0.3 per cent in March and 0.4 per cent in February.
The decline was driven by a 0.2 per cent fall in services, which was partially offset by a 0.1 per cent rise in construction and 0.4 per cent growth in manufacturing.
In the three months to April, GDP grew by 0.7 per cent, according to the ONS.
Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “The economy grew in the latest three months as a whole, reflecting strong growth in February and March.
“This was despite April showing a small fall.”
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