UK Economy in Surprise GDP Jump Before Hit From Iran War

The UK economy was expanding quickly in the weeks leading up to the outbreak of war in Iran, revealing the extent to which conflict in the Middle East has changed British fortunes.

Gross domestic product grew 0.5% in February, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday, after an upwardly revised 0.1% reading the previous month. It was much better than the 0.1% expected by economists and the strongest monthly reading since January 2024.