Brighter future as recession ends - graduate jobs

The future looks brighter for graduates after the UK emerged from its longest and deepest recession in the last quarter of 2009.

Six straight quarters of shrinking output were finally ended by a 0.1% expansion in the economy between October and December, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Overall, the economy slumped 4.8% last year - the biggest annual contraction since records began in 1949 - and has lost 6% since the start of the recession in 2008.

A Treasury spokesman said: "The Chancellor has always said that the economy would return to growth by the turn of the year, and today's estimate of 0.1% growth in the fourth quarter bears that judgment out.

"What this estimate makes clear is that the Government is right to be confident but cautious about the prospects for the economy and that it is right that we keep supporting the economy."

However, the expansion in the UK economy is weaker than the 0.4% predicted by economists, and could fuel fears of a so-called "double dip" recession.