LONDON, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Britain's economy expanded in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026, with real gross domestic product (GDP) rising by 0.7 percent compared with the second quarter (Q2), according to estimates released Thursday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The growth in the three months to September followed a growth of 0.5 percent in Q2, the ONS said, noting the Q3 GDP is estimated to be 1.9 percent higher compared with the same quarter in 2025.
Output growth in Q3 was mainly caused by a 0.9-percent increase in the services sector, in particular business-facing services. The output of the production sector rose by 0.1 percent, while that of the construction sector fell by 0.7 percent.
Computer programming again increased strongly, registering its fastest growth in the last 3 years, said Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the ONS. "We continue to see evidence that artificial intelligence linked businesses helped boost this sector," he noted.
Leasing of cars, intellectual property and property management companies also helped boost the services sector, alongside the growth in accountancy, employment agencies and car dealerships, he added.
Commenting on the continuous growth of the economy, Stuart Morrison, research manager at the British Chambers of Commerce, said "it is the first time UK GDP has grown by at least 0.5 percent for 3 consecutive quarters since the post-pandemic recovery in 2021-22."
But he warned that there are signs of "an emerging two-speed economy", if people dig below the headline, with investment by a few larger firms and sectors driving growth while the vast majority of smaller firms halting investment.
Echoing Morrison, Alpesh Paleja, deputy chief economist at the Confederation of British Industry, said conditions are uneven across sectors, with activity more subdued out of the information and communications and professional services sectors.
"Across the UK, firms continue to face a common challenge: the high and growing cost of doing business - set against a backdrop of uneven demand conditions. Another bout of rising inflation will squeeze living standards again, eating into recent gains in resilience," he added. ■