The Guardian’s latest monthly tracker of economic news, started after the Brexit vote two and a half years ago, does, however, reveal pockets of economic strength – even as business leaders express ever greater concern over the challenge to come. Economists made forecasts for seven of those barometers before their release, and in three cases the outcome was worse than expected. Britain’s dominant services sector, which includes banks, shops and restaurants and covers almost four-fifths of the economy, barely grew in November amid rising uncertainty. Among the bright spots for the economy are falling levels of inflation, as lower petrol prices take some pressure off cash-strapped consumers. “The Brexit vote has hit consumers in their pockets and harmed the economy.”

Source: The Guardian December 27, 2018 13:09 UTC