FTSE 100 Live 15 February: UK in recession as GDP falls by 0.3% in fourth quarter, shares seen higher

The UK economy officially finished 2023 in recession, official figures show today. Jeremy Batstone-Carr, European strategist at Raymond James Investment Services, says that while the UK’s slip into a mild recession is disappointing, there are signs to be optimistic ahead. “The data is evident of deflated activity across all key sectors of the economy, from manufacturing to service and retail, as well as construction activity, which was negatively impacted by inclement weather.”