Market News
UK businesses and consumers show signs of recovery in early 2026 - REUTERS
By William Schomberg and David Milliken
- Summary
- UK composite flash PMI rises to highest since April 2024
- S&P says its data points to Q1 GDP growth of around 0.3>#/li###
- January retail sales grow by most in nearly four years
- Tax revenues beat official forecasts in January
- BoE still expected to cut rates to 3.5% in March
LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - British businesses extended an early 2026 recovery in February and consumers started the year confidently, data showed on Friday, although companies are still cutting jobs.
The S&P Global UK Composite Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 53.9 in a preliminary report for February from 53.7 in January, the highest level since April 2024, before Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government took office.




