March data highlight that the COVID-19 outbreak has already dealt the UK economy a more severe blow than at any time since comparable figures were first available over 20 years ago.

Data from Markit shows that the combined monthly decline in output across manufacturing and services exceeded that seen even at the height of the global financial crisis, with the IHS Markit/CIPS Flash Composite PMI falling almost 16 points since February 2020.

Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at IHS Markit,said:

“The surveys highlight how the COVID-19 outbreak has already dealt the UK economy an initial blow even greater than that seen at the height of the global financial crisis.With additional measures to contain the spread of the virus set to further paralyse large parts of the economy in coming months, such as business closures and potential lockdowns, a recession of a scale we have not seen in modern history is looking increasingly likely.”

He added:

“Historical comparisons indicate that the March survey reading is consistent with GDP falling at a quarterly rate of 1.5-2.0%, a decline which is sufficiently large to push the
economy into a contraction in the first quarter. However, this decline will likely be the tip of the iceberg and dwarfed by what we will see in the second quarter as further virus
containment measures take their toll and the downturn escalates.”Any growth was confined to small pockets of the economy such as food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and
healthcare. Demand elsewhere has collapsed, both for goods and services, as increasing numbers of households and businesses at home and abroad close their doors.”

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