GDP remained flat in the three months to January 2026.

In the three months to April, the sectors with the largest positive contribution to three month GDP were Retail, Wholesale & Motor Trades and Health & Social Work, which contributed around 0.1 percentage points of growth respectively towards the overall three month growth of 0.1%.

Monthly GDP is estimated to have grown by 0.4% in April 2026. This follows a growth of 0.3% in March 2026 and contraction of 0.5% in February 2026.

Business minister Tom Arthur said: “These figures show the Scottish economy is in robust shape. Estimated growth of 0.4% in April, compared to a drop of 0.1% across the UK for the same month, helps maintain a positive picture across the last three months.

“Driving economic growth is central to this Government’s agenda. We will continue our work to ensure Scotland is the best place in the UK to do business, working with partners across the public and private sectors to drive investment and support and create good jobs and wages.

“For the eleventh year running, Scotland has maintained its position as the UK’s top destination for foreign direct investment outside London – according to EY’s UK Attractiveness Survey 2026. Figures also show that confidence in our investment proposition is at its strongest ever level, demonstrating our economic resilience in what is an incredibly challenging global environment.”

Commenting on the figures, Kevin Brown, savings expert at Scottish Friendly, added: “While Scottish growth significantly outpaced the rest of the UK in April, it’s unwise to read too much into one month. Scotland’s economy is still treading water, growing just 0.1% in the three months to April — well behind the UK’s 0.7%.
“The biggest threat to the Scottish economy remains the disruption caused by the situation in the Middle East. Ceasefire talks are ongoing, but the situation remains fragile. If tensions flare again, it will have a negative knock-on effect for Scottish businesses and key Scottish exports such as whisky and salmon, which are heavily reliant on stable shipping routes.
“For savers and households, the risk of another shock hasn’t gone away. The best approach is to get your finances in order now. That means building a buffer, if you can, and shopping around for a better savings rate or consider putting excess cash to work in the stock market for the chance of stronger long-term returns.”