英语文摘：Britain ends 2009 as last G20 nation still in recession

    The ONS said that though the number of jobless was still rising, this was the smallest quarterly increase in the number of unemployed since March-May 2008.

    Latest figures from the ONS showed that industrial production in Britain was unchanged in October from the previous month. Compared with the same month last year, production fell 8.4 percent.

    Economists had forecast a 0.4-percent monthly rise and a 7.7-percent year-on-year decline.

    Manufacturing output was also flat in October, recording a 7.8-percent fall from the level seen in October 2008. Economists had forecast a 0.4-percent monthly rise and a 7.2-percent annual fall.

    Commenting on the manufacturing output figures, David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "The failure of manufacturing to show any growth in October is disappointing and increases concerns that a return to growth in Q4(the fourth quarter) is not yet guaranteed. All the longer-term comparisons -- both three months and 12 months -- show that manufacturing output is still declining."

    "A recovery in manufacturing is critical in order to secure the much needed rebalancing of the UK's economy," he said.

    The housing market has seemingly bounced back from recession more quickly than the other sectors.

    Nationwide Building Society said on Thursday that the average price of a home was 162,103 pounds (262,000 dollars), up from 153,048 pounds (247,400 dollars) in December 2008.

    Low interest rates, the re-entry of cash buyers to the market, and a continued lack of homes for sale had all put upward pressure on prices, despite only a modest increase in demand.

    Martin Gahbauer, Nationwide's chief economist, said: "The average price of a typical UK property has ended the year 5.9 percent higher than at the end of 2008."

    "Although house prices are still 12.2 percent lower than their October 2007 cyclical peak, they have now rebounded by an impressive 8.9 percent since their February 2009 trough."

    With a general election due no later than the end of May 2010, the new government will face the immense task of continuing the slow and bumpy turnaround the British economy has experienced in 2009.