THE UK is back in recession after a surprise 0.2 per cent contraction in the economy in the first quarter of the year, official figures revealed today.
The decline in gross domestic product (GDP) was driven by the biggest fall in construction output for three years, while the manufacturing sector failed to return to growth, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The preliminary estimate, which may be revised later, means the UK is back in a technical recession - defined as two quarters of decline in a row.
The City had predicted the economy would scrape growth of 0.1 per cent after a 0.3 per cent fall in the previous quarter.
But the current downturn is expected to be nothing like as severe as the previous recession of 2008/09, which spanned more than a year.
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