Slow UK economic growth is not just a cold weather trend | Larry Elliott

A frozen February hampered the building and retail industry, but momentum has slowed by sterling's rise, betting against Brexit, and weak manufacturing

The UK economy had a poor start to 2018. Manufacturing output was flat in January and fell slightly in February. Construction remains firmly in recession. Export volumes are rising but less quickly than imports.

By the end of this month, the Office for National Statistics will publish its flash estimate of growth in the first quarter. Most City economists think it will be 0.3%, down from 0.4% in the final three months of 2017. At one of Britain's long-established thinktanks, the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, they think it could be as low as 0.2%.