GDP data shows Britain's economy can cope with EU exit - Hammond

LONDON (Reuters) - Chancellor Philip Hammond said that Thursday's better-than-expected GDP growth showed the economy was resilient and well-placed to cope with the challenges thrown up by Britain's exit from the European Union. Gross domestic product expanded by 0.5 percent in the July-September period, less rapid than the unusually strong growth of 0.7 percent seen in the second quarter but comfortably above a median forecast of 0.3 percent in a Reuters poll of economists. "The fundamentals of the UK economy are strong, and today's data show that the economy is resilient," Hammond said in a statement released after the news. "The economy will need to adjust to a new relationship with the EU, but we are well-placed to deal with the challenges and take advantage of opportunities ahead." (Reporting by Kate Holton; writing by William James; editing by Costas Pitas)