Price rises are very subdued. Factory gate prices (Producer Prices, Mon) rose last month by only 0.1% over the year - the lowest increase since March 1960. Underlying prices fell by 0.3%.

Headline inflation (RPI, Tues) also fell - from 3.2% pa to 3.1%, although the underlying rate remained constant at 2.5% pa.
Core inflation (which excludes mortgage interest payments and indirect taxes) fell from 2.0% pa to 1.8% pa.

The ONS reports that, taken over a 3-month period, employment is still growing (Labour Market Statistics, Wed).
The trend in unemployment is downward although the rate of fall is less than earlier in the year and there was a small increase (6,800) in those claiming unemployment benefit (the Claimant Count: now standing at 1,319,400 or 4.6%).

No figures were issued last month for Average Earnings, which have been suspended while a review into their reliability is completed.

Retail Sales (Thurs) slowed dramatically last month, with an increase of only 1.0% in sales volume over the year, reinforcing the data from the British Retail Consortium last week.

There was a healthy surplus (£7.9bn) in the Public Sector Net Cash Requirement in the figures released in November (Public Sector Finances, Wed), attributed to strong VAT and income tax inflows.