GDP

The pace of the economic recovery in the UK has taken economists by surprise in the last year, prompting a number of upwards revisions for GDP growth.

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Nathan Sweeney, senior investment manager at Architas, says the UK recovery is gaining traction, although several global threats remain.

The US economy has posted disappointing growth figures in the first quarter of the year, slowing sharply to just 0.1% after adverse weather conditions impacted the world's largest economy.

The UK economy expanded by 0.8% in Q1, slightly below economists' expectations.

Analysts expect Q1 GDP growth for the UK to hit 0.9% when the data is released this morning, marking the highest quarterly level since 2010.

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On the one hand, economies are recovering, unemployment is falling, housing prices are on the up, and market interest rates have moved materially off their lows.

Stephen Jones, chief investment officer of Kames Capital, has said the UK's improving GDP figures mean it is now rivalling some emerging markets in the growth stakes.