Scotland’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.6% in September — but output remains 7.6% below the level in February before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

According to statistics announced on Wednesday by the Chief Statistician, September was the fifth consecutive month of increasing GDP.

Using the experimental monthly statistics for the July-September Quarter 3 as a whole, GDP is provisionally estimated to have increased by 14.7%, after falling by a total of 22.0% across Quarters 1 and 2 of 2020.

September saw growth in all of the main sectors of the economy, but at a slower rate than seen over the summer months.

Output in the services sector is estimated to have increased by 1.6% compared to August, production sector output increased by 1.4%, and construction sector output increased by 2.7%.