UK economy defies war shock

Official data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that the UK gross domestic product grew by 0.5% in February, significantly ahead of the 0.1% expansion predicted by most analysts.

This unexpected surge was driven by resilience in the services and manufacturing sectors during the weeks preceding the Middle East crisis.

However, the subsequent spike in global energy costs following U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran has largely nullified this optimism.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves noted that while the figures are a welcome sign of underlying strength, the current energy shock presents a formidable challenge to sustained recovery.