UK GDP Grows 0.7% in Q3 2026, Driven by Services and AI Investment

The UK's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to have increased by 0.7% in the third quarter of 2026 (July to September), following a 0.5% growth in the second quarter. This marks the strongest quarterly expansion in approximately two and a half years. Annually, GDP was 1.9% higher in Q3 2026 compared to the same period last year. Monthly GDP figures also showed a 0.2% growth in September 2026. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that this growth was primarily driven by the services sector, particularly computer programming, with AI-related capital investment noted as a significant contributing factor.