# Global economic growth trends in UK and US > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/global-economic-growth-trends-in-uk-and-us > Updated: 2026-09-11T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 54. Developments: 3. Economic indicators in the United Kingdom and the United States show growth driven largely by the technology and services sectors. In the United Kingdom, the economy expanded by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2026. While this was a slowdown from the 0.6% growth seen in the first quarter, the services sector remained a primary driver, growing by 0.5% during the quarter. In June, the economy unexpectedly grew by 0.3%, aided by warmer weather and a temporary respite in energy price pressures. The information and communications sector accounted for nearly half of the total expansion, with computer programming and consultancy activities growing by 3.7% due to ICT equipment investment reaching £22.1 billion. Recent data shows continued resilience, with the UK economy growing by 0.4% in July, exceeding forecasts of stagnation. This performance brings the annual growth rate to 1.6%, the fastest pace since February 2025. In the first half of 2026, the UK recorded a 1% expansion, making it the fastest-growing economy among the G7 nations. Growth was primarily driven by a rise in the services sector, specifically within computer programming, consultancy, and technology-related activities such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, which saw a 3.5% increase. However, the recovery remains uneven. While manufacturing saw a notable rebound, the production and construction sectors both declined by 0.5% in the three months leading up to July. Additionally, the Office for National Statistics noted a decline in wholesale and retail trade. Risks persist as rising energy costs linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and high government borrowing costs continue to pose threats to fiscal stability and household finances. ## Claims - The UK economy grew by 0.4% in July. (corroborated by 15 sources) - The services sector was the primary driver of the July growth. (corroborated by 7 sources) - Computer programming and related services grew by 3.5% in July. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Warm weather and the FIFA World Cup contributed to increased business turnover. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The UK was the fastest-growing economy among G7 nations in the first half of 2026. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The UK economy grew 1.6% year-on-year in July. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The UK economy grew by 1% during the first half of 2026. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Production and construction sectors both saw a contraction of 0.5% over the three months to July. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-11: UK economy grows 0.4% in July, led by services and AI The UK economy grew 0.4% in July, beating forecasts and marking the fastest annual growth since early 2025. The expansion was largely driven by the services sector and an AI-related technology boom. 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/united-kingdom-gdp-grows-04-in-july-beating-forecasts ### 2026-08-21: US economic growth forecasts rise on AI investment and spending US economic growth forecasts for the third quarter have been raised to 2.5% due to rising consumer spending and massive investments in artificial intelligence, while business activity hits a 52-month high. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-economic-growth-forecasts-rise-amid-surging-business-activity ### 2026-08-13: UK economy grows 0.4% in Q2 2026 amid tech boom The UK economy grew 0.4% in Q2 2026, driven by services and an AI-related tech boom. June saw an unexpected 0.3% rise aided by the World Cup and warmer weather, despite geopolitical risks in the Middle East. 33 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/united-kingdom-gdp-grows-04-in-second-quarter-of-2026 --- Cite as: Global economic growth trends in UK and US. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/global-economic-growth-trends-in-uk-and-us