Britain's economy expanded at the fastest rate in nearly three years in the third quarter of this year, revised official data showed this morning.
The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product rose by 0.9% in the third quarter compared with a previous estimate of 0.8%, giving an annualised growth number close to the 4% reported by the US over the same period.
The ONS said the upward revision was due to a higher than previously estimated rise in construction output and brought GDP to its fastest since the fourth quarter of 1999, the peak of the dotcom boom.
GDP was up 2.1% on the same period a year earlier, the highest annual growth rate since the first quarter of last year.
