0648 GMT - Employers' costs and tax rises are weighing on the U.K. economy, argues Hailey Low of think tank the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. Britain's GDP fall by 0.3% in April, with a drop in exports to the U.S. and wider tariff-led uncertainty ending the first quarter's energetic rise in activity, figures showed Thursday. But an increase in employers' tax contributions and wider cost pressures also look to be taking their toll, Low says. "It is more important than ever that policy remains focused onlaying the bedrock such that the U.K. is able to raise long-run GDP growth," she says.(joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 12, 2025 02:49 ET (06:49 GMT)

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