U.K. Consumer Services Grow at Fastest Pace in a Year, CBI Says

A crowd of pedestrians and shoppers walk on Oxford Street, in London, U.K., on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Black Friday first became a part of U.K. shopping culture in 2014 when a rush for bargains saw fights break out as crowds gathered outside stores, in 2016 however, only 21 percent of British consumers interviewed by consultant Retail Economics said they plan to shop for Black Friday bargains.Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg

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By Brian Swint

February 26, 2018 at 12:01 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Britain’s services sectors, making up the biggest part of the economy, saw growth improve this month, helped by a rebound at restaurants, bars and other consumer industries.

After faster inflation meant a rough ride for household spending in 2017, the figures from the Confederation of British Industry suggest some improvement. Consumer services growth was the strongest in a year, while confidence also picked up.