(Alliance News) - The UK economy registered a surprise decline in August, during what was a poor month for the consumer-facing sector, according to the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday.
The UK economy shrank by 0.3% in August from July, following a downwardly revised 0.1% climb in July from June. Month-on-month growth in July was initially forecast at 0.2%.
August's gross domestic product was expected to have remained unchanged from July.
"There has been a continued slowing in the underlying three-month on three-month growth, where GDP also fell by 0.3% in the three months to August compared with the three months to May 2022," the ONS noted.
In August alone, output in consumer-facing services fell 1.8%, having risen 0.7% in July.
According to the ONS, industrial production dropped 1.8% on a monthly basis in August, a worse result than the FXStreet-cited market forecast of a smaller 0.2% decline. In July, production fell 0.3% from June.
On an annual basis, industrial production slumped 5.2%, massively missing the mark. Growth of 0.6% was expected, according to FXStreet. That would have been a slowdown from a 1.1% yearly industrial output climb in July.
Adding to the bleak economic picture on Wednesday, the ONS said the UK's goods trade deficit widened.
Exports rose 2.2% on a monthly basis in August to GBP68.24 billion from GBP66.80 billion in July. Imports rose at a faster pace, however, climbing 4.5% to GBP75.32 billion from GBP72.24 billion.
It meant the UK's trade deficit amounted to GBP7.08 billion in August, stretching from GBP5.45 billion in July.
By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com
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