Spring 2012: Economy struggles to grow... UK Sectoral Prospects: 07 Mar 2012

...Economic activity has been broadly flat since mid- 2010, generally underperforming expectations. For 2011 as a whole, GDP rose by a modest 0.8%, with output in the final quarter of the year down by 0.2%. Further moderate progress is seen this year ­ despite yet another extra Bank Holiday hitting second-quarter activity ­ with GDP growth of a just ½%. Provided tensions in the Eurozone moderate as expected in the second half of the year and going into 2013, the expansion is expected to gain momentum again to produce GDP growth of 1¾% in 2013 and 2¾% in 2014....