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The overall picture remains one of a jobs recovery that is much more sluggish than after previous recessions, analysts say.

ear ago. This compares with the 1.7% rise previously reported for the thre

as up 2% on a year ago. This compares with the 1.7% rise previously reported for the three

The annual growth of productivity in the British economy increased by only 0.8% in 2005 the slowest growth since the recession year of 1990. There are many reasons for this sluggish growth of productivity. Part of the reason was the slowdown in growth in 2005 because output and output per worker tend to be positively correlated. In an economy where demand and output is weaker, people in work are not being used as intensively compared to when the economy is stronger. Deeper-rooted explanations for weak productivity performance focus on supply-side deficiencies. These include the effects of skills gaps in industry; and the transfer of the economy's resources into the public sector where productivity is lower. Other factors contributing to sluggish productivity growth include the effects of business red tape and a persistently low rate of spending on research and development.Low productivity growth means that little progress has been made in reducing the productivity gap that exists between the UK and most of her major competitors.

In the first half of 2010, the story was that the big emerging economies – India, China and Brazil – were acting as the locomotive for global growth. But during the second half of 2010, there were signs of the United States and Germany joining the party

The apparent hoarding has the effect of making an already tight market—production has been falling as demand is increasing—look even more strained.

Changes to the value of homes in England and Wales in 2010 was marked by a north-south divide, new figures have suggested.