Japan avoids recession with weak return to growth – business live

The Guardian - World NewsEN 4 min read 100% complete by Graeme WeardenFebruary 16, 2026 at 08:31 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Japan narrowly avoided a recession with a weak 0.1% GDP growth in the fourth quarter, placing it at the bottom of the G7 growth table. Meanwhile, the UK housing market is experiencing heightened competition among sellers, reaching an 11-year high, providing buyers with more options. Rightmove reports that average asking prices for newly listed homes have slightly decreased, and buyer/seller confidence has risen to levels not seen since September 2025. The increased number of homes for sale empowers buyers, and potential interest rate cuts by the Bank of England in March could further stimulate the market as the spring selling season approaches. Despite a slight dip, average asking prices remain similar to those of a year ago.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Colleen Babcock 30% Bank of England 40% Germany 50% Italy 50% France 50% Canada 50% United States 50% Rightmove ×560% G7 60% United Kingdom ×370% Japan ×490%

Keywords

japan 90% economic growth 80% recession 70% uk house sellers 70% rightmove 60% house prices 60% interest rates 50% g7 40% property market 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.10

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Source

The Guardian - World News

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Japan

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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japan economic growth recession uk house sellers rightmove house prices interest rates g7 property market

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