The UK economy returned to growth in January, according to data released on Friday by the Office of National Statistics.
GDP grew 0.3% on the month following a 0.5% contraction in December, coming in ahead of consensus expectations for 0.1% growth.
ONS director of economic statistics, Darren Morgan, said: “The economy partially bounced back from the large fall seen in December. Across the last three months as a whole and, indeed over the last 12 months, the economy has, though, showed zero growth.
“The main drivers of January’s growth were the return of children to classrooms, following unusually high absences in the run-up to Christmas, the Premier League clubs returned to a full schedule after the end of the World Cup and private health providers also had a strong month.”
