Britain’s economic recovery ‘uneven’

Britain’s recovery from recession is turning out to be an uneven one and the government is still waiting for the shift to an export- driven economy it vowed after the financial crisis.

Manufacturing shrank in May at its fastest pace since January, and the country’s trade deficit was its widest in six months, according to official data yesterday that tempered signs growth was starting to pick up speed.

But three surveys published a few hours earlier showed rising house prices, improved business confidence, and steady growth in retail sales.