LONDON, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The British economy looks to have rebounded in the second quarter from a notably poor first quarter performance, according to data released on Wednesday.
The composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for June, combining figures for manufacturing, construction and the dominant services sector, was consistent with GDP growth of 0.4 percent in Q2.
Growth in the first quarter was just 0.2 percent quarter-on-quarter, according to official Office of National Statistics figures, a marked slowdown from the rate of growth throughout 2017.
The PMI figures for the services sector, which accounts for nearly 80 percent of the economy, showed business activity index rose to 55.1 in June from 54.0 in May, 52.8 in April and a 20-month low of 51.7 in March.
"Activity in June benefited from a pick-up on consumer spending on services helped by the fine weather, which adds to the evidence that consumers have perked up recently. Meanwhile, demand for professional and business services firmed in June," Howard Archer, economic adviser to EY ITEM Club, a financial data analysis firm, told Xinhua.
"The June purchasing managers' surveys support belief that UK GDP growth picked up to 0.4 percent quarter on quarter in the second quarter and it is possible that it could even have come in a little stronger," said Archer.
