Britain remains the only major country still in recession according to official data, though economists expect a return to growth before the end of the year prior to upcoming general elections. The British economy contracted by 0.3% in the third quarter compared to the previous three months, an improvement on an earlier estimate, while other major economies like the eurozone, France, Germany, Japan and the US have all returned to growth following the global economic downturn. Britain will hold a general election by mid-2010 that the Labour government led by Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to lose to the Conservative opposition party.

1. Britain is last major nation in recession Britain remains stuck in a record recession, official data showed on Wednesday, but economists forecast a return to growth before the end of the year ahead of a general election. The economy shrank by 0.3 percent in the third quarter, compared with output in the previous three months, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement. This was an improvement on an initial ONS estimate given last month that said the economy had contracted by 0.4 percent between July and September. The eurozone, France, Germany, Japan and the United States have all returned to growth following the worst global economic downturn since the 1930s. Britain is to hold a general election by mid-2010, which Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour government is widely expected to lose to the main opposition Conservatives. AFP, 25 November 2009