Tough times: Monopoly as you've never seen it before
Tough economic times mean a lot has changed on the high street, and now there's a Monopoly board to match.
Osborne blames Labour as GDP shrinks again
Will the public accept Chancellor George Osborne's explanation on why the British economy is stalling?
GDP figures show worst double-dip recession in 50 years
The economy shrank by 0.7% between April and June, leaving Britain in the longest double-dip recession in more than 50 years.
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Weak pound boosts demand for UK exports
The ONS said service sector output increased by 0.8% in January on a year earlier and was up 0.3% month-on-month, despite the snow impact at the start of the year.
It is hoped that this solid performance will offset woes in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
Increased demand for exports has been helping, boosted by the recent weakness of the pound, which makes it cheaper to buy British goods and services.
The BCC's survey showed improvements in both the manufacturing and services sectors, although employment had weakened.
BCC: ONS has 'exaggerated' economic weakness
David Kern, British Chambers of Commerce chief economist, said the results suggested the economy continued to grow in the first three months of 2013.
He added:
The survey reinforces our assessment that recent gross domestic product (GDP) figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have exaggerated the weakness of the UK economy and the volatility in output.
If an announcement of negative growth in the first quarter is misleadingly described as a triple-dip recession, confidence will again be damaged unnecessarily.
He admitted the survey showed the UK's economic performance was still "inadequate", but confirms areas of strength.
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UK will avoid triple dip, says business group
Britain will avoid a triple dip recession thanks to near record levels of exports from the powerhouse services sector, a business group said today.
The latest economic survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) revealed export deliveries and orders from the services sector - which accounts for more than three quarters of UK economic output - rose close to the all-time highs seen in 1994 during the first three months of 2013.
Its survey of more than 7,000 firms also found that business confidence had grown, while firms were looking to invest more in their businesses.
GDP figures could signal another period of recession
The GDP figures for the last three months of 2012 will be released this morning and could show that the UK has entered another period of recession.
The economy is officially in recession if the figures show that GDP - the amount of goods and services produced by the UK - has contracted for a second quarter in a row.
Tough times: Monopoly as you've never seen it before
Tough economic times mean a lot has changed on the high street, and now there's a Monopoly board to match.
Read the full storySlow British manufacturing output sparks fears of triple-dip recesssion
Fears Britain is heading for a triple-dip recession have been fuelled by figures showing manufacturing output shrinking unexpectedly in November.
Factory output fell 0.3% month-on-month on the back of a 1.3% decline in October, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The wider measure of industrial production edged up 0.3% but was below forecasts for a 0.8% rise.
The numbers add to a recent flow of disappointing economic data, stoking concerns of a fresh contraction in the fourth quarter and that the UK economy could be on the verge of recession again if activity remains under pressure in the first quarter of the year.
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Spanish recession prompts Catalans to seek independence
The pain of recession in Spain has persuaded the people of its Catalan region to edge ever closer to independence.
Elections for its local Parliament gave almost two-thirds of the seats to parties who want a referendum on breaking away.
Catalonia in northeastern Spain has a population of 7.5 million and includes Barcelona, Spain's second biggest city.
Catalonia also produces 20 percent of Spain's GDP and its economy matches Portugal's.
From Barcelona, our Europe Editor James Mates reports.
Economy should 'rebound' in third quarter of 2012
– Capital EconomicsThe economy should reboundin quarter three as the bank holiday effect unwinds and any Olympics boost comes through.
But we still expect the underlying performance of the economy to remain weakand GDP may even contract again in quarter four.
ONS releases statistics for second quarter of 2012
UK current account in #deficit by £20.8bn in 2012 Q2, up from a deficit of £15.4bn in Q1 http://t.co/JVrmNVuF #economy #GDP
From @statisticsONS on Twitter:The volume of household spending fell by 0.2% between Q1 and Q2 2012, but grew by 0.2% between Q2 2011 and Q2 2012: http://t.co/b86ITD3k
From @statisticsONS on Twitter:Revised business #investment in Q2 2012 was 0.9% up on Q1 2012 and 3.1% up on Q2 2011. http://t.co/wIzx6iDN #ONS
From @statisticsONS on Twitter:Double-dip not as deep as feared
An initial estimate of a 0.7% contraction shocked the City in July, but smaller than previously thought falls in the production, manufacturing and construction sectors improved the decline to 0.5% last month and now 0.4%.
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