Growth strong but slowing: GDP up by 0.7pc in final quarter of 2013
UK GDP grew by 0.7 per cent in the final quarter of 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics' first estimate.
The previous quarter saw GDP grow at a slightly stronger 0.8 per cent. Growth was seen across all four quarters of 2013.
That brings year on year real GDP growth up to 2.8 per cent, from 1.9 per cent in the previous period.
Real GDP remains 1.3 per cent below its peak, reached in the first quarter of 2008.
Recent red hot business surveys suggested that we might see stronger growth. Deutsche Bank's George Buckley has explained some of the discrepancy between those estimates and the weaker growth numbers we've been seeing.
Market looks like it was positioned for a bit more from UK #GDP, #GBPUSD bit of a flush out on the number to 1.6550, settling near 1.6575
— Will Hedden (@WillHedden_IG) January 28, 2014