NIESR: UK GDP grew 0.6 per cent between December and February
The UK's GDP grew 0.6 per cent between the beginning of December and February, a think tank has suggested.
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) reckons the UK economy's growth was flat between the period from December to February and the preceding three months, according to figures published today.
It added that it expects UK GDP to grow 2.9 per cent this year, followed by 2.3 per cent in 2016. Next year's figure would be down from 2014's 2.6 per cent.
Although the official statistics authority has yet to release its estimate for the first quarter of 2015, it has suggested the economy grew 0.5 per cent in the final quarter of last year.
Last night the British Chambers of Commerce upgraded its growth forecast for the UK for the next two years to 2.7 per cent for this year and 2.6 per cent in 2016.
Director general John Longworth said businesses were "doing well – despite international and domestic uncertainty".
A Treasury spokesman added:
The BCC are right to say the job is not yet done, so we must keep working through the pain that is delivering economic security in an uncertain world economy.