By Geoffrey Smith
Investing.com -- The U.K. economy slowed again in April, as industrial and manufacturing output slumped for a second straight month.
Gross domestic product for the three months through April grew only 0.2% after 0.8% in the previous three-month period, with industrial production falling 0.6% on the month and manufacturing output falling by 1.0%, the Office for National Statistics said.
Economists had predicted a rise of 0.4% in quarterly GDP. The ONS's index of service activity indicated that the sector stagnated during the period.
The data are the latest to show the effects of a sharp rise in regulated household energy bills during April, which had an immediate impact on consumers' disposable income.