UK consumers push back against drag from European weakness

London

BRITISH exporters are taking a knock from the sluggishness of the euro area, leaving consumers fuelling much of the fire behind the expansion.

Households ramped up spending in stores at the fastest pace in more than a decade in the fourth quarter, and data on Tuesday was expected to show how much that checked the impact of weak external demand. Economists forecast growth of 0.6 per cent in the three months, down from 0.7 per cent in the third quarter.

While the build-up to the general election in less than four months may weigh on confidence, further…