LONDON--The British economy picked up a little speed in 2019 despite registering no growth at all in the final quarter of the year, as the U.K. outpaced both France and Germany in its final year as a member of the European Union.

The figures nevertheless add to a subdued picture for the global economy last year, as trade tensions between the U.S. and China weighed on activity worldwide. Prospects for growth in 2020 perked up following a December truce between Washington and Beijing, but may dip again as the coronavirus outbreak in China spreads across the world.