Business investment in the UK rose by 1.7% in the three months to June 2026 compared with the previous quarter, according to preliminary estimates. That exceeded market expectations of a 0.5% decline and marked an acceleration from 0.9% growth in the previous period.
This was the strongest increase since the first quarter of 2025, signalling a continued recovery in corporate spending.
The rise was driven mainly by a significant increase in spending on ICT equipment and other machinery and equipment, while investment declined mainly in intellectual property products.
Compared with a year earlier, business investment grew 0.8% in the second quarter, rebounding from a 1.3% decline in the fourth quarter.
Overall gross fixed capital formation increased by 0.4% quarter-on-quarter and 1.6% year-on-year.
