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UK service sector activity stalls in September as inflationary pressures hit discretionary spending
September data pointed to a loss of momentum for the UK service sector, with an 18-month period of output expansion coming to an end amid falling volumes of incoming new work. Shrinking client demand was widely attributed to pressure on household budgets from escalating inflation, alongside widespread pessimism about the economic outlook. Business expectations for the year ahead meanwhile dropped to the lowest since May 2020. Survey respondents noted that the energy crisis, global recession concerns and rising interest rates had all weighed on business optimism. At 50.0 in September, the headline seasonally adjusted ... (full story)