The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Services PMI Business Activity Index dropped from 54.5 in February to 51.7 in March, to signal the weakest service sector performance since July 2016. Anecdotal evidence suggested that usually bad weather had disrupted business operations and contributed to subdued consumer spending in March. There were also reports that heightened economic uncertainty continued to act as a brake on growth during the latest survey period.