UK economy surprises with 0.4% growth in July

In July 2026, the UK economy grew by 0.4%, exceeding economists' expectations of no growth. This growth followed a 0.3% increase in June and was driven by the services, production, and construction sectors, with significant contributions from the artificial intelligence sector. The data, released by the Office for National Statistics on September 11, 2026, indicates a positive trend for the UK economy, providing a boost to the Labour government ahead of the upcoming budget update.