The pace at which economies around the world are recovering from the global economic downturn is "uneven", a new report claims.

Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates growth is starting to increase in pace, but there are some nations where this is more rapid than others.

The latest Economic Outlook from the Paris-based body also suggests unemployment rates "will remain persistently high", although investment and consumer spending rates are rising.

Secretary-general of the OECD Angel Gurria explained: "As stimulus is withdrawn, governments will have to provide a credible medium-term framework, to stabilize expectations and strengthen confidence, particularly for the private sector."

He added that higher levels of optimism could result in recovery moving at a "faster-than-projected" rate, with current forecasts anticipating a climb in gross domestic product within GDP nations of 2.3 per cent in 2011 and 2.8 per cent the following year.

Recent OECD data revealed a total jobless rate of 8.5 per cent for the region in September 2010, with particularly low levels in Korea (3.7 per cent) and the Netherlands (4.4 per cent).

Posted by Lee Thrace