Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : The Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: 2MAR$ who wrote (37047)	3/13/2001 12:34:47 AM
From: 2MAR$	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 49816

Euroland GDP Growth Appears To Be Stabilizing Handelsblatt Correspondent DUESSELDORF -- After five months of slowing down, economic growth in the euro zone is showing signs of stabilizing by the end of the second quarter of this year. According to the Euroland barometer, a measure compiled by Handelsblatt from a variety of economic statistics provided by the European Commmission, euro-zone growth in the second quarter ending June 2001 will be at or around 3%, compared with 3.3% in the first quarter. The barometer, which now includes Greece in the euro zone, forecasts growth in real GDP three months in advance, using contibuting values based on data available in the current quarter. March's contributing value toward the forecast remained flat with February's value at 2.9%, indicating a halt to the downturn in GDP. Industrial and consumer confidence continues to cast a shadow on the months ahead, according to the indicator. However, compared with their far lower long-term averages the confidence indices each slid only slightly. The cause for the apparent confidence slump is more likely cautious production targets in manufacturing and scepticism about the economy among consumers than an actual darkening of mood. In both areas, long-term indicators such as order volume and spending power remain strong. Those moderately negative confidence values, which have a combined 50% weighting in the indicator, are currently offset by a positive turn in industrial output, money supply and prices. Industrial output, with a 20% weight in the indicator, was reinvigorated at the close of last year, with the seasonally adjusted figure rising a further 1.3% in December from the previous month. In November, the figure rose nearly 1% from October. The year-end figure put industrial output 8% higher than it was at the end of 1999. According to the European Central Bank, inflation hazards are easing in the euro zone. January's consumer prices were 2.4% higher than a year earlier, compared with a 2.9% rise in November and a 2.6% rise in December. The easing reflects lower prices on the international energy markets. Prices for services and raw foodstuffs, on the other hand, rose significantly. With available indicators holding fears of inflation at bay, expectations abound that the ECB will cut key short-term interest rates. But there are still strong variables in play, such as unstable global growth. (END) DOW JONES NEWS 03-13-01 12:30 AM * end of story *