During 2013, the UK economy grew by 1.9%, its strongest rate since the financial crisis while in the final quarter of 2013 the economy grew by 0.7% (down from 0.8% in the previous quarter). This meant that the economy grew in every quarter; however, the economy is still below its pre-recession peak.

The Eurozone performed slightly stronger than expected and recorded growth of 0.3% in the final quarter of 2013, up from 0.1% in the previous quarter. It is the third consecutive period of growth for the Eurozone after an 18-month recession.

China has recorded its slowest economic growth since 1999 as, during 2013, its economy registered flat growth of 7.7%. Over the quarter, the economy grew by 1.8%, but this was below the expected growth of 2.0% and down from the 2.2% growth in the third quarter.

The US economy grew at an annualised rate of 3.2% in the final quarter of 2013, which was higher than the 3.0% annualised growth economists had predicted. Many economists predict that 2014 will produce the strongest growth since the end of the US recession in mid-2009.

This report contains quarterly statistics data for markets around the world.