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Google Inc. is constructing an inflation measure that might eventually provide an alternative to official statistics, using its database of Internet shopping figures, the Financial Times reported.

"The last decade could be characterised by the three words 'made in China'. In this next decade, it will be 'owned by China'."

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.

Mr Strauss-Kahn then bemoaned “a large and growing chasm between rich and poor—especially within countries”. He argued that inequitable distribution of wealth could “wear down the social fabric”. He added: “More unequal countries have worse social indicators, a poorer human-development record, and higher degrees of economic insecurity and anxiety.”

The income of the wealthiest 20% of Americans rose 14% during the 1970s, when the income of the poorest fifth rose 9%. In the 1990s the income of the richest fifth rose 27% while that of the poorest fifth went up only 10%.