Sluggish mining and quarrying activity shrank 2.2 per cent, while manufacturing declined 0.4 per cent. While the services sector was in growth mode, it was down slightly on the end of last year's 0.8 per cent increase in output. The clue to this fall back is a 0.3 per cent fall in business services and finance. Yet there is some good news. UK economic output is 7.3 per cent higher than before the financial crisis, making it the third best performing - after Canada and the US - of the G7 countries.
