UK government borrowing in December was less than expected, however the country remains on course to borrow more money this year than was the case last year.
The impact of the 2019-nCov virus (coronavirus) is to be short-lived say economists, but an increasingly mobile Chinese population risks the disease spreading over coming weeks.
Halifax data shows UK house prices posted their strongest monthly increase in nearly 13 years in December with a +1.7% month-on-month, taking the year-on-year increase to 4%.
GDP data for November - out on Monday morning - showed that the UK economy contracted 0.3% that month. The ONS also reports that manufacturing production slumped 1.7%, much deeper than the 0.3% contraction that had been predicted by markets.
The UK services sector provided proof on Monday of some life being left in the economy at year-end when the IHS Markit PMI was revised higher for the December month, after output stablised following a decline in the prior month.
Business confidence has surged amongst the UK's CFOs following the December General Election result, according to the latest Deloitte CFO Survey.
The decisive message sent by the UK electorate in mid-December has yet to register in the economy, with the latest numbers out of the manufacturing sector showing production decreased at the sharpest pace in almost seven-and-a-half years.
