BRITAIN'S economy grew last year at a weaker rate than expected, official figures have revealed.The level of GDP for last year was 2.2 per cent, which was lower than the 2.4 per cent predicted a month ago by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The downward revision comes after the ONS scaled back its estimates of year-on-year growth for each of the four quarters of last year. For the final three months, GDP growth was revised down to 1.6 per cent, after being estimated at 1.7 per cent a month ago. The ONS stuck to its original forecast that GDP growth was unchanged on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

ON TRACK: Health and beauty chain Boots has forecast full-year figures will meet expectations. The Nottingham company said sales growth had been stronger in the second half of the year than the first, across the chain and for core health and beauty products. Boots is due to post full-year figures at the end of May.

PUBS WIN: New Century Inns has been awarded the Tenanted Pub Company of the Year Award by trade magazine The Publican. New Century Inns' chairman Alistair Arkley and directors Barry Whitehead, Tim Pollock-Gore and Ian Perrett received the award at a gala dinner at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

TRADE SOARS: The London Stock Exchange has overcome grim conditions in the City to report continued high levels of trading. There were 46 million trades on the LSE during the year to March 31, with the average daily number up from 156,000 to 199,000.

DEBT WARNING: Cable operator NTL has cast doubt over whether it will be able to sustain operations during an overhaul of its £12bn debt. The group, based in Hook, Hampshire, said "various uncertainties" remained while it attempted to come up with alternatives for refinancing the debt.

WIZARD PROFITS: Bookshop chain Ottakar's has thanked hobbits and child wizards for a surge in full-year sales and profits. Harry Potter products, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and a biography of comedian Billy Connolly contributed to an increase in like-for-like sales to £81.7m. Group turnover leapt 14 per cent to £98m, while pre-tax profits soared 43 per cent to £4m.