UK GDP grows 2.3% in April 2021; fastest since July 2020

16 Jun '21

1 min read

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As government restrictions affecting economic activity continued to ease, the UK gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have grown by 2.3 per cent in April 2021, the fastest monthly growth since July 2020, the country's Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said. However, output in the production sector fell by 1.3 per cent in April 2021.

April’s GDP remains 3.7 per cent below the pre-pandemic levels seen in February 2020, however it is now 1.2 per cent above its initial recovery peak in October 2020, ONS said in its GDP monthly estimate for April 2021.

April 2021 is the third consecutive month of GDP growth as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions continued to ease to varying degrees in England, Scotland and Wales. April 2021 growth was the fastest monthly growth since July 2020, when it grew 7.3 per cent.

In the three months to April 2021, UK's overall GDP grew by 1.5 per cent, mainly because of services output, boosted by strong retail sales over the three months.

Non-essential retailers also contributed to much of the growth as they welcomed customers back into stores from April 12 in England. Clothing stores saw a boost of 69.4 per cent.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)

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