In the U.K., a Fragile Economic Recovery

The British economy is still fragile despite signs of recovery. Since the beginning of 2013, the United Kingdom's economic outlook has indeed improved. Consumers and businesses alike have grown more confident, suggesting that the island nation is somehow quarantined from the ills of the European mainland. However, while trade ties with the United States and an independent monetary policy have shielded the United Kingdom from the rest of Europe somewhat, its long-term economic stability remains tied to the fate the Continent. Preserving the common market will be among London's main challenges as it re-evaluates its relationship with the European Union, which is still suffering from the economic downturn.