The first estimate of first-quarter growth in the UK is expected to show the UK economy slowed modestly at the start of this year, to a quarterly growth of 0.5%, down from an upwardly revised 0.6% in the final three months of the previous year. The Office for National Statistics is releasing the figures on Tuesday morning. The first estimate is based on less than 50% of all the data available and includes only figures on the output side of total GDP. Therefore, the headline figure is subject to revisions. Business surveys by data compiler Markit offer a rather upbeat picture of the economy in the first quarter. ... (full story)