Economics / Markets

The global economy is recovering faster than expected, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The pound has lost ground against other currencies following the release of GDP figures showing the UK economy grew just 0.1% in the last quarter.

The dangers posed to savers and investors by falling gilt values far outweigh the risk of rising inflation, according to Martin Bamford of Informed Choice.

Japan has kept interest rates on hold at 0.1% as the world's second largest economy tries to overcome deflation.

The UK may finally have exited the worst recession since World War Two, but do not be fooled, tough times loom, experts say.

The UK economy has exited its longest recession since records began, with GDP growth of 0.1% in the final quarter of 2009.

The FTSE 100 opened lower, down 39.78 points or 0.76% to 5220 over worries about global growth following announcements in China and the US.

In London, markets opened lower this morning as fears grew over the impact of banking regulation.

The UK opposition Conservative party is likely to follow the lead of Barack Obama , US president, and introduce similar trading curbs for banks based in the City if elected, George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, said Thursday night.

Public debt remains at a post-war record according to official figures released today, but the data also suggest the economy is stabilising, head of macroeconomics at PricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC) says.