Green shoots

[Napster]

I genuinely believe economic green shoots are starting to appear. This time last year, we made redundancies. Several months ago, we got 10% pay cuts. Now, theyre talking about reinstating our 10%, and increasing our product range.

Car sales are up, and from the FT this morning, France and Germany have recorded growth for the first time in a year.

Robust consumer and public spending - buoyed by large government stimulus programmes - helped both economies grow 0.3 per cent in April, May and June

So, what does everyone else think?

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

We went on a 4 day week a couple of weeks back (though to be fair we do longer Mon>Thurs so it lessons the impact to a degree) and our forecasts (within manufacturing/building) are still gloomy till year end at least

 

[dloman]

I genuinely believe economic green shoots are starting to appear. This time last year, we made redundancies. Several months ago, we got 10% pay cuts. Now, theyre talking about reinstating our 10%, and increasing our product range.

Car sales are up, and from the FT this morning, France and Germany have recorded growth for the first time in a year.

Robust consumer and public spending - buoyed by large government stimulus programmes - helped both economies grow 0.3 per cent in April, May and June

So, what does everyone else think?

Not for me, i think we are at least 6 months away from seeing an upturn in this country as unemployment figures showed yesterday. Unfortunately we were one of the first countries into recession meaning that it is more likely we will be one of the last out.

The German government put a lot of early measures in place to stimulate the economy as did France and i believe i am correct in thinking they were opposites of what the British government did and they quite rightly imo rounded on Gordon Brown for the actions he took. Also strength of currency strength is playing a huge part and we all know the £ is weaker than jordans knicker elastic.

 

[osymandus]

Franch and Germany are now offically out of recission , and ive noted a big increase in IT job offers being mailed out (next to useless mind their all 100 miles away sigh)

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I don't think there'll be a prolonged recession this time, and yes, recovery is at hand. I firmly believe that Western Europe will suffer a complete financial meltdown in the next twenty years due to reduced birthrates - there won't be enough people working and paying taxes to support the Baby Boomers who have reached retirement age.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Not seen any recession at my place whatsoever. Had a report thru the other day to say we had 25 million in the bank.

 

[Firestorm]

When I saw the title I was expecting a link to Paula Yates's conception video...

 

[Shrimper]

Didn't think the recession would last that long, if it means i see less of that smug git Peston, then all the better.

 

[DTS]

Been saying it and been shot down for ages but I think its the recovery is well underway.

 

[canveyshrimper]

When I saw the title I was expecting a link to Paula Yates's conception video...

:D I've got an idea it was spelt differently, and I mean that most sincerely friends.

 

[Napster]

More green shoots

Japan emerges from recession
By Justine Lau in Hong Kong

Published: August 17 2009 02:11 | Last updated: August 17 2009 04:16

Japan has climbed out of recession after the economy returned to growth in the second quarter, raising hopes that the worst of the financial crisis is over in the world’s second-largest economy.

Data released on Monday showed that gross domestic product expanded 0.9 per cent quarter on quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, following four quarters of contraction. On an annualised basis, the economy grew 3.7 per cent.

 

[loz]

Uk still struggling comparatively though- our greater reliance on the financial sector means we have relatively more exposure to toxic assets, etc etc. The weakness of the pound is probably more of a symptom of this weakness than a cause, certainly, the expansion of the QE programme last week has halted the rise back to to around $1.70 against the dollar- down to $1.62 when I last checked.