UK economy unexpectedly grows 0.4% in July in boost for Burnham

Increased use of AI helped the UK economy grow by 0.4 per cent in July, official figures show, in an unexpected boost for Andy Burnham.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the latest gross domestic product (GDP) data, which marked the same monthly growth rate as June.

It marks a surprise uplift after economists were expecting the economy to show zero growth for the month.

The ONS said the services sector drove growth in July, with output increasing by 4%, and computer programming making the largest contribution.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and related technology has helped to boost the sector over the past three months, according to the ONS.

ONS director of economics statistics Liz McKeown said: “Separately, as in June, some businesses reported that the warm weather and FIFA World Cup had affected their activity, although effects differed across industries, benefitting some businesses while creating challenges for others.”

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