Growth in the UK’s economy has slowed as car sales fell and the manufacturing sector stalled, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.
The economy grew by 0.4% in the three months to October, slower than the 0.6% in the three months to September.
“GDP growth slowed going into the autumn after a strong summer, with a softening in services sector growth mainly due to a fall in car sales,” said the ONS’s Rob Kent-Smith.
GDP grew by 0.1% in October.
Mr Kent Smith, who is head of national accounts at the ONS, said there had been strong growth in IT and accountancy which had offset the fall in car sales.
However, he added: “Manufacturing saw no growth at all in the latest three months, mainly due to a decline in the often-erratic pharmaceutical industry.
“Construction, while slowing slightly, continued its recent solid performance with growth in housebuilding and infrastructure.”
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