GROWTH in the UK's private sector is expected to accelerate in the next quarter, the Confederation of British Industry has predicted.

The employers' organisation said the outlook for the next three months remains robust, with a modest increase in the growth rate anticipated.

The latest research by the CBI suggests the growth rate slowed slightly in the three months to September but remained well above the long-run average.

Based on responses from 817 firms, the CBI concluded that a firmer performance in business and professional services, and manufacturing, was balanced by slower growth in the retail and motor trades sectors.