British economy grew 0.8% in Q2

London - The British economy expanded 0.8% quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter, data released on Friday showed, a day after the eurozone reported zero growth in the same period.

The British growth figure confirmed an initial estimate released last month. Year-on-year growth was revised upward from 3.1% to 3.2%.

The second reading of gross domestic product (GDP) means Britain recovered all of the ground it lost in the 2008 to 2009 financial crisis, with output 0.2% above its pre-crisis peak in early 2008.

Britain's economy had shrunk 7.2% from 2008 to 2009 during the crisis, and it took longer to emerge from it than from any other recession in the past century.

The British economy has now expanded six quarters in a row, including by 0.8% in the first quarter.

The momentum proved far better than GDP readings from the 18-member eurozone, of which Britain is not a part.

The German economy contracted 0.2% compared with the first quarter after expanding 0.7% in the first three months of the year while France stagnated for the second-consecutive quarter, the EU statistics office, Eurostat, said on Thursday.