UK S&P Global Services PMI Final (Aug) 52.5 vs. Exp. 52.8 (Prev. 52.1)

"Business and consumer spending saw further gains after declining during the second quarter of 2026, which led to the fastest expansion of output levels since April." "Service providers are increasingly optimistic about the year ahead business outlook, with confidence levels now close to those seen just prior to the Middle East conflict. However, business activity growth projections were still subdued in comparison to long-run trends amid lingering worries about inflationary pressures and geopolitical tensions." "businesses sought to protect their margins from suppliers' price hikes." "Many firms have responded to intense cost inflation by tightening their staff recruitment policies. This trend continued in August, but signs of a turnaround in sales pipelines and broader market conditions led to the slowest pace of job losses since October 2025."