Recession

House prices rose by 5.9% in 2009 as the UK property market bounced back from last year's double digit declines, figures show today.

The global economy has made "remarkable" progress in moving out of recession but remains "highly vulnerable" to shocks, a finance chief said today.

Hopes for an end to recession were dashed today after new figures showed the economy shrank for a record sixth quarter-year in a row.

Two of Europe's largest economies emerged from recession between April and June while the UK was still stuck in the doldrums, figures showed today.