Type of Activity:

Press Release

Title:

June 2007 Estimates of Monthly GDP

NIESR Author 1:

James Mitchell

External Authors:

Date:

Friday, 6th July, 2007

JEL Classification:

Keywords:

External Web Link:

Link to PDF file of full version:

/pdf/090707_91802.pdf

Notes / Summary / Abstract:

We project that the output of the economy in the three months ending in June was 0.7% higher than in the previous three months. This suggests that the economy is growing at about its trend rate. But our view is that one should wait and see what effect the existing interest rate rises have had before raising rates further. Our track record in producing early estimates of GDP suggests that our projection for the most recent three-month period has a standard error of 0.14% point when compared to the first estimate produced by the Office for National Statistics. This comparison can be made only for complete calendar quarters. Outside calendar quarters the figures are less reliable than this. A paper describing the methodology used to produce the data was published in the February 2005 volume of the Economic Journal. From April until October 2006 our estimates were computed using the Index of Services published by ONS. However this monthly series shows considerable volatility which has caused us some problems in estimating GDP. From our November 2006 press release we have therefore reverted to using a model of private services output based on indicator variables. This means that, while all our figures for calendar quarters are fully coherent with ONS data, our estimates of monthly private service output are not. The series can be thought of as indicating the underlying value of the ONS series.



For more information please telephone James Mitchell on 020 7654 1926.



Contents of Press Release



Table 1, Page 2: Summary Table of Quarterly Growth Rates showing Monthly Data, 3 months ending in that month, and Quarterly Growth (% per quarter). All contain Figures for Industry & GDP.



Table 2, Page 3: Output by Sector (Industry, Agriculture, Construction, Private Services, Public Services, GDP(B) (calculated at prices excluding taxes and subsidies), GDP



Table 3, Page 4: Output in Quarter Ending in Month Shown by sector (as above)



Table 4, Page 5: Growth in Quarter Ending in Month Shown over Previous Quarter (% at annual Rate) by sector (as above)