Wholesale & Retail Trade Drives Monthly GDP Decline
- Economy shrinks unexpectedly by 0.1% in May
- Wholesale and retail trade subsector contributes negatively to monthly services output
- Retail trade excluding motor vehicles drops 2.7%
The UK’s economy unexpectedly contracted by 0.1% in May 2025, as per the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The decline followed a previously unrevised drop of 0.3% in April 2025 and growth of 0.4% in March 2025. The wholesale and retail trade subsector made the largest negative contribution to monthly services output, falling by 1.5%, with retail trade excluding motor vehicles experiencing a significant drop of 2.7%.
Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate information about the GDP data from the Office for National Statistics and presents it clearly without any sensationalism or bias.
Noise Level: 1
Noise Justification: The article provides a brief statement on GDP numbers without any analysis or context, making it mostly noise and lacking in-depth information.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses monthly real gross domestic product (GDP) figures, which is a key financial indicator that reflects the economic performance of a country. Although it does not directly impact specific financial markets or companies, it provides information about the overall financial health and can be relevant for investors and economists to analyze trends and make decisions based on the data.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no mention of an extreme event in the text and it doesn’t meet the criteria for being an extreme event within the last 48 hours.
