UK unemployment is up again - the eighth monthly increase in a row - but it's not as bad as feared.

Total unemployment grew by 48-thousand to 2-point-67 million in the 3 months to December - less than the 80-thousand forecast.

But the number of young people out of work rose by 22 thousand, leaving over 22 percent of 16 to 24 year olds jobless.

Meanwhile, The Governor of the Bank of England says the UK is unlikely to have entered recession again.

Mervyn King predicts growth of about 1-point-2 percent this year.