UK Economy moves out of recession

As anticipated ,The Office for National Statistics reported that the U.K. economy has clawed its way back into growth in the fourth quarter of 2009. However, growth in the fourth quarter was far less than expected. The ONS said that compared with the third quarter, gross domestic product in the three months to the end of December increased 0.1%. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2008, GDP fell 3.2%.

For the whole of 2009, the economy contracted 4.8%, its biggest output fall on record.

The ONS said that total services and total production were both up by 0.1% in the fourth quarter.

In services, istribution, hotels and restaurants, were up 0.4%. Government and other services output rose 0.2%. In production, manufacturing gained 0.4% but utilities output fell 3.3%.