U.K. economic growth eased more-than-expected in the third quarter, preliminary estimates from the Office for National Statistics showed Tuesday.
Gross domestic product rose 0.5 percent from the second quarter, when it grew 0.7 percent. Economists were looking for 0.6 percent economic expansion.
Among the main industrial groupings, services output increased 0.7 percent, production grew 0.3 percent and farm output rose 0.5 percent.
However, construction output tumbled 2.2 percent. Within production, manufacturing fell 0.3 percent.
Year-on-year, GDP increased 2.3 percent in the third quarter, which was slightly less than the 2.4 percent gain economists had expected.
“The overall economic recovery still has some obstacles to overcome in the coming quarters, including uncertainty ahead of an EU referendum and a renewed fiscal squeeze,” Capital Economics economist Vicky Redwood said.
“So growth next year probably won’t be spectacular. However, we doubt that Q3’s slowdown means that the economy has now exhausted its potential for strong growth.”
Separately, the ONS said the index of services remained unchanged in August from July, when it climbed 0.2 percent. Economists had expected a 0.2 percent increase.
In the three months to August, the index of services rose 0.9 percent from the previous three months, which was slightly less than the 1 percent gain economists had expected.
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