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UK economic growth slows sharply and still below pre-pandemic peak

The BBC reported, the UK economy grew by just 0.1% in July as the last Covid restrictions were lifted in England.
It was the economy's sixth consecutive month of growth, but the increase was much lower than in the previous month, which saw 1% growth.
Arts, entertainment and recreation activities helped the rise, but the "pingdemic" kept many workers at home.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK economy is still 2.1% below its pre-pandemic peak.
According to the BBC, the ONS said there had been a boost from outdoor events such as sports clubs, amusement parks and festivals following the easing of restrictions on social distancing on 19 July in England.
However, the main contributor to growth was a 1.2% rise in production output, boosted by the reopening of an oil field production site, which was previously temporarily closed for planned maintenance.

Jonathan Athow, deputy statistician of the ONS, said: "Oil and gas provided the strongest boost, having partially bounced back after summer maintenance. Car production also continued to recover from recent component shortages."
Many firms suffered from a lack of staff during July as workers were forced to self-isolate at home after being alerted by the NHS Test and Trace app, giving rise to what was dubbed the "pingdemic".
Read more: UK rail industry urges workers to start taking the train again
Services output was largely unchanged in July, but the construction sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month, with output down by 1.6%.
Construction has been affected by a shortage of building materials as prices have soared and supply has failed to match demand.
Overall, GDP grew by 3.6% in the three months to July, the ONS said.
Prof Jagjit Chadha, director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, told the BBC's Today programme that the increase for July was "lower than most people expected".
But he added: "The economy is slowly getting back to its pre-pandemic level. There were always going to be potholes along the way."
Read more: UK government announces new tax to fund the NHS, social care services
Samuel Tombs of Pantheon Macroeconomics said the economic recovery had been "stopped in its tracks" by a surge in Covid cases in July that had led to the "pingdemic" of workers told to self-isolate.
He added that there were signs that the economy had regained momentum in August.
"Nonetheless, surveys continue to show that a large minority of households remain fearful of contracting Covid-19, even though they have been double-vaccinated.
"This suggests that the recovery in consumer-facing sectors might run out of steam again in the autumn if, as we expect, Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions remain on their current upward trend," he said.
Kitty Ussher, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said it appeared that "England's thrilling run" in the Euro 2020 tournament had boosted growth in June, leading to "a bit of fall-back" in July.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the figures showed the recovery was "well under way". But Labour's Bridget Phillipson, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said "Conservative complacency" was "holding our country back".
Source: BBC
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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