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| UK economy should avoid triple-dip recession, OECD forecasts | UK economy should avoid triple-dip recession, OECD forecasts |
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| Britain's economy is getting stronger and should avoid a triple-dip recession, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Paris-based thinktank sounded a positive note as official figures showed that the services sector, which contracted at the end of last year, returned to growth in January. | Britain's economy is getting stronger and should avoid a triple-dip recession, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Paris-based thinktank sounded a positive note as official figures showed that the services sector, which contracted at the end of last year, returned to growth in January. |
| Barring changes in government policy, the UK is expected to have grown at an annual rate of 0.5% in the first quarter and to grow at 1.4% in the second. | Barring changes in government policy, the UK is expected to have grown at an annual rate of 0.5% in the first quarter and to grow at 1.4% in the second. |
| Pier Carlo Padoan, the OECD's chief economist, said: "The situation [in the UK] is still fragile. I think the policy course, both in terms of monetary and fiscal policy, is going in the right direction and improvements are beginning to be seen." | Pier Carlo Padoan, the OECD's chief economist, said: "The situation [in the UK] is still fragile. I think the policy course, both in terms of monetary and fiscal policy, is going in the right direction and improvements are beginning to be seen." |
| Until recently, the OECD and the International Monetary Fund had been warning George Osborne that his austerity policies risked prolonging the longest economic depression in 100 years. Padoan had called on the chancellor to relax spending cuts and put forward growth policies, in a shift to a Plan B for the economy. | Until recently, the OECD and the International Monetary Fund had been warning George Osborne that his austerity policies risked prolonging the longest economic depression in 100 years. Padoan had called on the chancellor to relax spending cuts and put forward growth policies, in a shift to a Plan B for the economy. |
| But the more upbeat outlook from the OECD was reinforced by a survey of the UK's services industry that showed an improvement during January, offsetting a weakening picture in the construction and manufacturing sectors. The Office for National Statistics said the services sector, accounting for three-quarters of economic activity, expanded by 0.3% on the previous month and was 0.8% ahead of the same month a year earlier. | But the more upbeat outlook from the OECD was reinforced by a survey of the UK's services industry that showed an improvement during January, offsetting a weakening picture in the construction and manufacturing sectors. The Office for National Statistics said the services sector, accounting for three-quarters of economic activity, expanded by 0.3% on the previous month and was 0.8% ahead of the same month a year earlier. |
| Unfortunately for ministers hoping to see an improvement across the private sector, the strongest element of the services index in recent years has proved to be government spending. The financial services sector has almost recovered to its pre-recession peak, along with business services, leaving the distribution, hotels and restaurants, transport, storage and communication sectors well below their high-water mark. | Unfortunately for ministers hoping to see an improvement across the private sector, the strongest element of the services index in recent years has proved to be government spending. The financial services sector has almost recovered to its pre-recession peak, along with business services, leaving the distribution, hotels and restaurants, transport, storage and communication sectors well below their high-water mark. |
| Chris Williamson, chief economist of financial data provider Markit, said the services data combined with strong retail sales would persuade the Bank of England to stay its hand when it meets next week. | Chris Williamson, chief economist of financial data provider Markit, said the services data combined with strong retail sales would persuade the Bank of England to stay its hand when it meets next week. |
| Capital Economics said an increase in quantitative easing from the current £375bn the Bank of England had pumped into the economy would probably need to wait until at least the autumn, when incoming governor Mark Carney would have established a new remit focused on growth. | Capital Economics said an increase in quantitative easing from the current £375bn the Bank of England had pumped into the economy would probably need to wait until at least the autumn, when incoming governor Mark Carney would have established a new remit focused on growth. |
| The OECD said activity was picking up in many major economies, with the global outlook improving since its last update in November. It expected the US to rebound in the first three months of this year, while Japan had been boosted by a new growth strategy and stimulus package. But it said improvements in financial markets around the globe had not been fully reflected in real economic activity, in part because confidence remained low. | The OECD said activity was picking up in many major economies, with the global outlook improving since its last update in November. It expected the US to rebound in the first three months of this year, while Japan had been boosted by a new growth strategy and stimulus package. But it said improvements in financial markets around the globe had not been fully reflected in real economic activity, in part because confidence remained low. |
| Padoan warned that the flood of cheap money into the system, via generous stimulus packages, had also led to some "excessive risk-taking". "We have now learned that imbalances build up in a way we tend to ignore," he said. "Let's watch prices of assets going up which are not warranted by fundamentals. Let's be very careful. At the same time, let's be careful of not putting a brake on the recovery that is slowly materialising. It's a delicate balancing act." | Padoan warned that the flood of cheap money into the system, via generous stimulus packages, had also led to some "excessive risk-taking". "We have now learned that imbalances build up in a way we tend to ignore," he said. "Let's watch prices of assets going up which are not warranted by fundamentals. Let's be very careful. At the same time, let's be careful of not putting a brake on the recovery that is slowly materialising. It's a delicate balancing act." |
| The OECD said a meaningful recovery in Europe would take longer than in the rest of the G7. It blamed this on a deteriorating jobs market, which had depressed consumer confidence. "Especially in Europe, the rise of long-term unemployment, with more of the unemployed moving off unemployment insurance on to less generous social benefits, is worsening poverty and inequality," it said. | The OECD said a meaningful recovery in Europe would take longer than in the rest of the G7. It blamed this on a deteriorating jobs market, which had depressed consumer confidence. "Especially in Europe, the rise of long-term unemployment, with more of the unemployed moving off unemployment insurance on to less generous social benefits, is worsening poverty and inequality," it said. |
| The thinktank also highlighted the growing divergence between Germany, which it expects to pick up strongly in the first half of this year, and other economies, which are forecast to either contract or show minimal growth. | The thinktank also highlighted the growing divergence between Germany, which it expects to pick up strongly in the first half of this year, and other economies, which are forecast to either contract or show minimal growth. |
| Germany is expected to grow by 2.3% on an annual basis in the first quarter, and then 2.6% in the second. By contrast, France is forecast to shrink by 0.6% on an annual basis in the first quarter, followed by 0.5% annualised growth in the second quarter. | Germany is expected to grow by 2.3% on an annual basis in the first quarter, and then 2.6% in the second. By contrast, France is forecast to shrink by 0.6% on an annual basis in the first quarter, followed by 0.5% annualised growth in the second quarter. |
| Growth in emerging markets is still much faster than in the G7 and these countries will drive the global economy this year. The OECD said annualised growth in China was expected to continue to be well above 8% in the first half of 2013. | Growth in emerging markets is still much faster than in the G7 and these countries will drive the global economy this year. The OECD said annualised growth in China was expected to continue to be well above 8% in the first half of 2013. |
| US economy perking up | US economy perking up |
| The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, but not enough to suggest the labour market recovery was taking a step back. | The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, but not enough to suggest the labour market recovery was taking a step back. |
| Other data showed the economy expanded at an annual rate of 0.4% in the fourth quarter, more than the government had estimated. | Other data showed the economy expanded at an annual rate of 0.4% in the fourth quarter, more than the government had estimated. |
| The reports reinforced the view that the US economy perked up in the first quarter, although it still appeared vulnerable to fiscal austerity measures that kicked in early in the year. | The reports reinforced the view that the US economy perked up in the first quarter, although it still appeared vulnerable to fiscal austerity measures that kicked in early in the year. |
| "The underlying growth trend is showing some encouraging signs, but the key risk is how much fiscal tightening we'll see this year," said Laura Rosner, economist at BNP Paribas in New York. | "The underlying growth trend is showing some encouraging signs, but the key risk is how much fiscal tightening we'll see this year," said Laura Rosner, economist at BNP Paribas in New York. |
| While jobless claims increased more than expected last week, they have trended lower this year and remain near five-year lows. Last week, initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 357,000, the labor department said. | While jobless claims increased more than expected last week, they have trended lower this year and remain near five-year lows. Last week, initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 357,000, the labor department said. |
| The four-week moving average for new claims, a better measure of labour market trends, rose 2,250 to 343,000. | The four-week moving average for new claims, a better measure of labour market trends, rose 2,250 to 343,000. |
| Still, for many economists a trend reading below the 350,000 level points to a firm pace of hiring in March. Reuters, Washington | Still, for many economists a trend reading below the 350,000 level points to a firm pace of hiring in March. Reuters, Washington |
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