'Relief' as UK GDP Q4 growth unrevised at 0.5%

Follows months of uncertain markets

Industry commentators have expressed "relief" that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have confirmed its figure for UK GDP growth in Q4 2015 at 0.5%, as renewed global growth fears gain pace.

The preliminary estimates issued by the ONS last month revealed UK GDP had grown 0.5% in Q4 2014, up from 0.4% in the previous quarter, but at the time investment commentators dismissed this figure as "lacklustre". However, following months of turmoil in stockmarkets, investors can take comfort from the confirmed positive economic growth in Q4. Nonetheless, UK growth is slowing when compared on an annual basis - for 2015 as a whole the ONS confirmed a 2.2% rate of growth, down from 2.9% for the previous year. Household spending posted a 0.7% increase in the latest quarter of 2015, ...