The UK economy grew in July at a faster rate than most experts thought it would. Official government figures released this month showed the economy expanded by 0.4%, meaning the total value of goods and services produced increased by that amount. Economists surveyed before the figures came out had predicted the economy would stay flat—with zero growth—so the actual result was a welcome surprise.
This faster-than-expected growth matters because it suggests the UK economy is holding up better than pessimists feared. When an economy grows, it often means businesses are doing okay, people are spending money, and jobs remain stable. Even a small increase of 0.4% is significant when experts weren't expecting growth at all.