See the full story in the original article.
Original headline: Britain factories deliver surprise boost to the united kingdom economy
Read the original on lancashiretelegraph.co.uk ↗
Related tickers and likely impact
GBP/USD
▲ Likely positiveRelevance: low
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/14/2026 | 1.31962 |
| Change that session | -0.45% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
Related news
- UK unemployment falls to lowest in a year but vacancies slide further
- UK unemployment rate falls in pre - Budget boost for Chancellor John Healey
UK unemployment fell to 4.7% in the three months to August, down from 4.9% in the three months to July and its lowest since the three months to July 2025, against most economists' expectations of a rise to 5%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Wage growth rose to 3.7% (0.8% after inflation), though total pay including bonuses eased to its lowest in nearly six years. Vacancies fell by 21,000 to 691,000 in the three months to September, their lowest in more than five years, as smaller businesses cited higher labour costs from National Insurance rises, the minimum wage and energy prices since the Iran war, with construction seeing the biggest drop. Ben Harrison of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University warned the government should not be complacent before next week's Budget, noting 715,000 young people aged 16–24 are unemployed, down 28,000 on the quarter but 54,000 higher than a year earlier.
- UK unemployment falls to lowest in a year but vacancies slide further
- UK unemployment rate falls in pre - Budget boost for Chancellor John Healey
UK unemployment fell to 4.7% in the three months to August, down from 4.9% in the three months to July and the lowest since the three months to July 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS); most economists had expected a rise to 5%. Wage growth edged up to 3.7%, or 0.8% after inflation, but job vacancies dropped by 21,000 to 691,000 in the three months to September, their lowest level in over five years, with construction seeing the largest fall. Businesses have been hit by higher National Insurance contributions and minimum wage rises, while energy costs have spiked since the start of the Iran war. ONS deputy director David Freeman said the labour market remained broadly flat in 2026, and total pay including bonuses has slowed to its lowest rate in nearly six years. Ben Harrison of the Work Foundation warned the government should not be complacent before next week's Budget, noting that 715,000 young people aged 16–24 are unemployed, down 28,000 on the quarter but 54,000 higher than a year earlier.
- UK unemployment falls to lowest in a year but vacancies slide further
- AI-boosted United Kingdom economy beats forecasts, giving Healey pre-budget lift
The UK economy grew 0.1% in August, beating a Reuters poll forecast of a 0.1% drop, and annual growth rose to 2.1%, the highest since October 2022. Computer programming was the largest contributor to growth in the three months to August, and Berenberg’s Andrew Wishart said AI is behind much of the upswing. Manufacturing jumped 1.2% in August, while services were flat, beating a forecast 0.1% dip. Long-term government borrowing costs are at their highest since the 1990s, leaving finance minister John Healey with a narrow path to meeting his fiscal rules, while the Bank of England may weigh a rate rise next month and the IMF raised its 2026 growth forecast to 1.3%.
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