Britain's services sector picked up in September to grow at its fastest pace for four months.
A report, by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS), showed the sector strengthened to record 55.5 on its index, up from 55.1 in August. A figure above 50 indicates expansion.
CIPS said there was growth across all the service sectors, including hotels, restaurants, transport and computing. It was strongest in the transport and communications sector.
New business was bolstered by robust domestic demand and increased marketing, while price cuts also helped.
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