Services sector slow down in July

Growth in the UK's services sector slowed considerably in July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The sector, which accounts for nearly 80% of UK GDP, grew by just 0.2% in July, down from 0.6% in June.

However, the ONS said that compared with July 2014, the sector had grown 2.8%.

Elsewhere, the ONS has confirmed that the UK economy grew by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2015.

In its final estimate for the April-June quarter, the ONS left growth unchanged and attributed it to a rise in oil and gas production.