Optimistic observations...

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1. Unemployment has fallen for the 5th successive month. 


2. Industrial output rose by 2.9% in June - fastest rise for 25 years. 


3. Manufacturing output rose by 3.3% in June - fastest rise for 10 years. 


4. Business start-ups in 2011 were the highest for decades: 471,466 new private sector businesses started last year. 


5. UK Exports reached £39.2 billion in June (close to all-time record levels; the record level being set in November 2011) Key markets: China up 74% in the past year; India up 94%; Russia up over 100%. There's more, ten in fact, from Lord Bates [Conservative Home] who also reminds us that "Sir John Major gave an excellent interview on the Andrew Marr programme yesterday" [Link]. Now, all the points have a flip-side but things do seem to be improving.