British markets recover as Cameron takes charge

Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his coalition government took charge yesterday, boosted by a recovering London stock market and pound, although data showed unemployment claims at a 16-year high.

New Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne's biggest task will be to bring down a record British deficit caused by the global economic crisis.

London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares dipped 0.12 per cent to stand at 5,327.55 points in morning trade, pulling back from recent sharp losses as Conservative leader Cameron began his new job as Prime Minister.

On Tuesday his party, which won the most votes and seats in last week's general election but not a majority, struck a coalition deal with the third-placed Liberal Democrats that ended 13 years of Labour rule.

"Markets had feared a negative start, but as the dawn of a new political era takes place, there appears to be a collective sigh of relief that we have a clearer way forward," ODL Securities trader Owen Ireland said yesterday.

In foreign exchange trade, the pound rose to $1.4997 from $1.4956 late in New York on Tuesday. It also gained to €1.1819 from €1.1812.

"Sterling has strengthened against the US dollar and the euro on this stabilisation of the UK political situation," said City Index analyst Joshua Raymond.

Britain's economy grew by a weaker than expected 0.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2010.

However, this is expected to be revised upward to 0.3 per cent following strong manufacturing data for March, the Office for National Statistics had said on Tuesday.

Britain emerged from a record-length recession in the final three months of 2009 with growth of 0.4 per cent after six straight quarters of negative output.

In a stark reminder of what lies ahead for Britain, ONS data published yesterday showed the nation's jobless total had increased by 53,000 in the three months to the end of March.

At 2.51 million people, the total jobless figure stands at the highest level since 1994. The country's unemployment rate managed to hold steady at eight per cent in March, the ONS added.

Analysts though warned of further job losses ahead.

"Significant job cuts in the public sector are looming as part of the major squeeze that has to occur on government expenditure," IHS Global Insight economist Howard Archer said yesterday.

"Meanwhile, in the near term at least, many firms are likely to meet any increase in business through making greater use of the workers they have already, and they are likely to be reluctant to take on any more staff until they are really convinced that sustained improvement in business is likely."

Britain borrowed a record £152.8 billion in the 12 months to March.

That was £65.9 billion higher than in the same period of 2008/09, as a record recession slammed the country's tax revenues and the government was forced to prop up failing banks.