LONDON, Dec 22, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Britain's economy unexpectedly shrank in

the third quarter, official data showed Friday, raising fears of a potential
recession before an election due next year.

Gross domestic product contracted 0.1 percent between July and September,
down from a prior estimate of zero growth, the Office for National Statistics
said in a statement.

Activity was adversely impacted by interest-rate hikes, elevated inflation
and a sliding services sector.

The ONS added that the economy flatlined in the second quarter, slashing its
previous estimate of 0.2-percent expansion.

That sparked speculation over a potential recession which is defined as two
straight quarters of negative economic growth.

"The fall in real GDP in the third quarter may mean that the mildest of mild
recessions started," noted Capital Economics analyst Ashley Webb.

"But whether or not there is a small recession, the big picture is that we
expect real GDP growth to remain subdued throughout 2024."

Friday's downbeat news delivers a blow to Conservative Prime Minister Rishi
Sunak, who trails opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer in the polls as
Britons buckle under a cost-of-living crisis.

Sunak was buoyed Wednesday as separate ONS data showed that British inflation
slowed sharply to the lowest level in more than two years, following a series
of Bank of England rate hikes.

The Consumer Prices Index hit 3.9 percent in November from 4.6 percent in the
previous month, attaining the weakest rate since September 2021.

The rate is nevertheless almost double the BoE's official target of 2.0
percent.

Yet core inflation -- which strips out food and energy costs -- eased only
slightly to 5.2 percent in November from 5.6 percent in October.

The BoE last week froze its key interest rate at a 15-year peak of 5.25
percent -- but warned that it will remain elevated to tackle stubbornly high
consumer prices.

The central bank hit pause in September, November and December, snapping a
series of 14 rate hikes as inflation slowed.

Those hikes dented economic activity because commercial banks pass on the
higher borrowing costs to both businesses and consumers.