UK businesses report slower growth in first quarter of 2015

British Chambers of Commerce's survey of 7,500 firms shows growth in domestic sales and exports slackened, raising doubts about underlying health of economy

Britain's businesses experienced a slowdown in economic expansion in the first three months of 2015, with both manufacturers and services hit, according to the latest quarterly survey by the British Chambers of Commerce.

After a strong reading in the final quarter of 2014, the BCC's health check of 7,500 companies showed that growth of domestic sales and exports slackened across the UK this year, raising doubts about the underlying strength of the economy.