The UK economy picked up in the first three months of the year after manufacturers' stockpiling ahead of Brexit helped to boost growth. Growth was 0.5% in the quarter, up from 0.2% in the previous three months, the Office for National Statistics said.
The manufacturing sector grew at its fastest rate since 1988 in the period.
The ONS said this was driven by manufacturers rushing to deliver orders before the original Brexit deadline of Mar 29.
Pharmaceuticals was one of the sectors most affected, expanding 9.4% between January and March.
Previous business surveys had shown manufacturers stockpiling goods for Brexit in case the UK left the EU without a transition deal, which they feared could lead to delays at UK borders.
- Source: News websites
