Monthly GDP Estimates For September

24th November 2021

Scotland's onshore GDP grew by 0.4% in September, according to statistics announced today by the Chief Statistician. Output is now 1.1% below the pre-pandemic level in February 2020.

Using the experimental monthly statistics for Quarter 3 as a whole (July to September), GDP is provisionally estimated to have grown by 0.8% compared to the previous quarter. This reflects a slowdown in growth after the increase of 5.6% in Quarter 2 (April-June), as the easing of restrictions after the winter lockdown has less of an impact on the latest results. In quarterly terms output is now 2.1% below the pre-pandemic level in 2019 Quarter 4.

Output in the services sector, which accounts for around three quarters of the economy, grew by 0.5% in September, with increases in nine of the fourteen subsectors. In quarterly terms, services output is provisionally estimated to have increased by 2% compared to Quarter 2.

Output in the production sector, which accounts for around 16% of the economy, contracted by 0.9% in September. There were falls in the two of the four subsectors, which offset growth of 0.3% in the manufacturing subsector. In quarterly terms, production output is provisionally estimated to have fallen by 3.7% compared to Quarter 2.

Output in the construction sector, which accounts for around 6% of the economy is estimated to have grown by 1.9% in September. In quarterly terms, construction output is provisionally estimated to have fallen by 1.5% compared to Quarter 2.