What's going on?

The UK economy unexpectedly scored in November, after the World Cup kicked Brits into shape.

What does this mean?

British life is looking stereotypically gray: inflation�s still squeezing budgets, manufacturing orders are dwindling, and public sector strikes are putting a pin in business as usual. But Brits are keeping a characteristically stiff upper lip: the services sector plucked up quicker than expected, while production and construction � the other two major drivers of the UK�s economy � held their own. All in all, the country�s economy picked up 0.1% in November, surprising skeptical analysts (tweet this).

And one especially hardy gang deserves a massive participation medal: according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), sports fans were the economy�s MVP in November. They hit the town no matter the score during the World Cup, celebrating victories with a greasy bag of fish and chips and drowning defeats with an ale. So if the government wants to kick consumer spending up a gear, it knows where to find the right fans for the job.

Why should I care?

For markets: London�s lovely this time of year.
Now, one solid month doesn�t guarantee a full-fleshed recovery, and the UK still has plenty of lemons to squash if it wants a pint of lemonade. But the news is a glimmer of hope for down-in-the-dumps British assets: the country�s currency has been looking more like pennies than pounds, and investors still aren�t sold on the future of UK stocks. That does mean, though, that they�re going for less these days, so if you believe in Britain�s recovery, they could be a cheap bet on long-term riches.

Zooming out: Just keep swimming.
The UK�s been labeled an ugly ducking lately, but now the country�s transformed into a, uh, slightly less ugly duckling. And it�s not swimming solo, either: Europe and the US are standing firm in the face of relentless rate hikes too. That�s not enough to completely turn the recessionary tide, mind you, but it could mean the current�s a little weaker than expected.