{"id":61919,"date":"2026-05-14T02:38:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T06:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T02:38:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T06:38:31","slug":"uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/","title":{"rendered":"UK GDP Beats Estimates as Burberry Shines and US-China Tech Tensions Ease"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/#UK_Economy_Shows_Resilience_Amid_Trade_Headwinds\" >UK Economy Shows Resilience Amid Trade Headwinds<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/#Burberry_Returns_to_Growth_with_New_Leadership\" >Burberry Returns to Growth with New Leadership<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/#US-China_Tech_Thaw_Nvidia_H200_Approvals\" >US-China Tech Thaw: Nvidia H200 Approvals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/#Geopolitical_Volatility_Middle_East_and_Ukraine\" >Geopolitical Volatility: Middle East and Ukraine<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-gdp-beats-estimates-as-burberry-shines-and-us-china-tech-tensions-ease\/61919\/#Corporate_and_Political_Briefs\" >Corporate and Political Briefs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>UK Q1 GDP grew 0.6%<\/strong>, meeting expectations, while a surprise <strong>0.3% expansion in March<\/strong> defied forecasts of a contraction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Burberry (<a href=\"\/stock\/BRBY\">BRBY<\/a>)<\/strong> reported a <strong>5% increase<\/strong> in Q4 retail comparable sales, bolstered by a <strong>10% surge<\/strong> in Greater China.<\/li>\n<li>The U.S. government approved <strong>Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>)<\/strong> to export its advanced <strong>H200 AI chips<\/strong> to approximately 10 Chinese firms, including Alibaba (<a href=\"\/stock\/BABA\">BABA<\/a>) and Tencent (<a href=\"\/stock\/TCEHY\">TCEHY<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>Geopolitical tensions remain high as the <strong>Israeli army ordered evacuations<\/strong> in southern Lebanon and Ukraine&#39;s anti-corruption court ordered the arrest of <strong>Andriy Yermak<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>President Xi and Donald Trump<\/strong> held high-stakes talks in Beijing covering the Middle East, Ukraine, and the Korean Peninsula.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"UK_Economy_Shows_Resilience_Amid_Trade_Headwinds\"><\/span>UK Economy Shows Resilience Amid Trade Headwinds<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The United Kingdom\u2019s economy expanded by <strong>0.6% in the first quarter of 2026<\/strong>, matching analyst estimates and improving upon the <strong>0.2% growth<\/strong> seen in the previous quarter. The <strong>services sector (+0.8%)<\/strong> and <strong>construction (+0.4%)<\/strong> were the primary drivers of growth during the three-month period. <em>Economists noted that the data suggests the UK is weathering global energy price volatility better than initially feared.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Monthly data for March provided a significant upside surprise, with <strong>GDP rising 0.3%<\/strong> against expectations of a <strong>0.1% decline<\/strong>. This growth was fueled by a <strong>1.5% surge in construction output<\/strong> and a <strong>1.2% jump in manufacturing production<\/strong>. However, the <strong>visible trade balance widened to -\u00a327.22 billion<\/strong>, significantly higher than the previous <strong>-\u00a318.79 billion<\/strong>, indicating persistent pressure on the country&#39;s trade position.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Burberry_Returns_to_Growth_with_New_Leadership\"><\/span>Burberry Returns to Growth with New Leadership<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Burberry (<a href=\"\/stock\/BRBY\">BRBY<\/a>) shares are in focus after the luxury house reported that <strong>Q4 retail comparable sales rose 5%<\/strong>, beating the <strong>4.6% estimate<\/strong>. Performance was particularly strong in <strong>Greater China<\/strong>, where sales jumped <strong>10%<\/strong>, far exceeding the <strong>7.38%<\/strong> growth anticipated by analysts. <em>The results signal a potential turning point for the brand as it navigates a broader slowdown in the global luxury market.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The company also announced a major leadership transition, naming <strong>William Jackson as Chair<\/strong> to succeed the retiring <strong>Gerry Murphy<\/strong>. For the full year, Burberry reported <strong>revenue of \u00a32.42 billion<\/strong> and an <strong>adjusted operating profit of \u00a3160 million<\/strong>, which topped the <strong>\u00a3153.6 million<\/strong> consensus. <em>Investors are closely watching whether the new chair will accelerate the &quot;Burberry Forward&quot; transformation program to sustain this momentum.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"US-China_Tech_Thaw_Nvidia_H200_Approvals\"><\/span>US-China Tech Thaw: Nvidia H200 Approvals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In a significant shift for the semiconductor industry, the U.S. has reportedly approved approximately <strong>10 Chinese firms<\/strong> to purchase <strong>Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) H200 chips<\/strong>. Approved buyers include tech giants Alibaba (<a href=\"\/stock\/BABA\">BABA<\/a>), ByteDance, and Tencent (<a href=\"\/stock\/TCEHY\">TCEHY<\/a>), alongside distributors such as Lenovo (<a href=\"\/stock\/LNVGY\">LNVGY<\/a>) and Foxconn (<a href=\"\/stock\/HNHPF\">HNHPF<\/a>). <em>This move suggests a strategic recalibration of export controls to allow for limited high-tech trade under strict conditions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This development coincided with a summit between <strong>President Xi Jinping and Donald Trump<\/strong> in Beijing. Xi emphasized that <strong>&quot;equal dialogue and consultation&quot;<\/strong> is the only viable approach for bilateral ties, noting that trade relations deliver <strong>mutual gains<\/strong>. The leaders also discussed regional crises, including the situations in the <strong>Middle East and Ukraine<\/strong>, as they sought to preserve the &quot;good momentum&quot; in recent relations.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitical_Volatility_Middle_East_and_Ukraine\"><\/span>Geopolitical Volatility: Middle East and Ukraine<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Regional instability continues to weigh on global sentiment as the <strong>Israeli army ordered residents of eight locations<\/strong> in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa area to evacuate. This move precedes expected military action and follows a period of heightened cross-border friction. Meanwhile, Iran\u2019s foreign minister, <strong>Abbas Araghchi<\/strong>, called on <strong>BRICS members<\/strong> to unanimously condemn U.S. and Israeli &quot;aggression&quot; during a meeting in New Delhi.<\/p>\n<p>In Eastern Europe, Ukraine\u2019s political landscape was shaken as an anti-corruption court ordered the arrest of <strong>Andriy Yermak<\/strong>, the former chief of staff to President Zelenskiy, on <strong>money laundering charges<\/strong>. This domestic turmoil comes as Russia reportedly launched over <strong>1,560 drones<\/strong> in a single overnight barrage. <em>The arrest of such a high-profile figure may complicate Kyiv&#39;s internal stability even as it faces intensified military pressure from Moscow.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Corporate_and_Political_Briefs\"><\/span>Corporate and Political Briefs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Siemens AG (<a href=\"\/stock\/SIE\">SIE<\/a>):<\/strong> Barclays increased its target price for the industrial giant to <strong>\u20ac230<\/strong> from <strong>\u20ac220<\/strong>, citing improved outlooks in automation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>UK Politics:<\/strong> Sources indicate that <strong>Wes Streeting<\/strong> maintains &quot;rock solid&quot; support numbers within the party, despite recent rumors of a leadership challenge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global Trade:<\/strong> India\u2019s foreign minister emphasized that <strong>unimpeded shipping<\/strong> through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea remains &quot;crucial for the global economy.&quot;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways UK Q1 GDP grew 0.6%, meeting expectations, while a surprise 0.3% expansion in March defied forecasts of a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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