Weather Hits UK Services in March

Key findings:

  • Modest upturns in business activity and new work
  • Employment growth slips to three-month low
  • Strong rate of input cost inflation continues in March

IHS Markit / CIPS UK Services PMI March data signalled a slowdown in business activity growth across the UK service sector, with the latest expansion the weakest for over one-anda-half years. However, survey respondents noted that snow disruption and unusually bad weather conditions in March had been a key factor holding back business activity growth.

Meanwhile, input cost inflation remained strong, with the latest rise in operating expenses the fastest since December 2017, which contributed to another marked rise in average prices charged by service sector firms.

Source – Markit Economics

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Craig Erlam

Craig Erlam

Former Senior Market Analyst, UK & EMEA at OANDA
Based in London, Craig Erlam joined OANDA in 2015 as a market analyst. With many years of experience as a financial market analyst and trader, he focuses on both fundamental and technical analysis while producing macroeconomic commentary.

His views have been published in the Financial Times, Reuters, The Telegraph and the International Business Times, and he also appears as a regular guest commentator on the BBC, Bloomberg TV, FOX Business and SKY News.

Craig holds a full membership to the Society of Technical Analysts and is recognised as a Certified Financial Technician by the International Federation of Technical Analysts.