UK earnings growth slows in January, jobless rate stable

The data was published shortly before Chancellor George Osborne announces his last budget before May 7's national election in a speech which is likely to focus on Britain's economic recovery including surging job creation. The Office for National Statistics also said Britain's unemployment rate was stable at 5.7 percent, matching its lowest level in almost seven years but above a forecast for another fall to 5.6 percent from economists in a Reuters poll. Total average weekly earni