UK GDP rises 0.2% in September, beating expectations of 0%

A monthly beat against a flat consensus is a reminder of how low the bar for UK growth has become, and one month of services-led momentum is thin evidence against the broader stagnation narrative. The reading matters less for its size than for what it does to expectations around the Bank of England's path, since firmer activity complicates the case for near-term easing. Whether this monthly strength carries into the quarterly figures, or proves a one-off, is the open question worth tracking.