STORY: Britain's new Prime Minister entered his job with a host of challenges, but he's also received two early gifts.
England reaching the final of the Euro 2024 soccer tournament might temporarily lift the national mood in some parts of the UK.
But Keir Starmer also inherited an economy which grew faster than expected in May.
Official data released Thursday showed economic output increased 0.4% in May, after a 0.2% rise in April.
That was ahead of analyst projections.
May saw a broad-based rise in economic output.
Services and manufacturing both grew, while construction was up by 1.9% on the month, driven by house-building.
Over the three months to May, the economy expanded by 0.9% - the strongest reading in more than two years.
The new Labour administration wants to achieve the fastest growth among the Group of Seven advanced economies on a sustained basis.
But while that may be a boost for Starmer, it's fuelling doubts about the Bank of England's next move ... and whether the central bank will start cutting interest rates in August, as previously predicted.
