Recession Fears Revived As Economic Data Point To Critically Weakened Growth

Three years after the worst economic downturn in generations, the American economy increasingly appears vulnerable to another recession.

Months of slow growth and external shocks have wounded the economy to a critical extent, economists say. After Washington lawmakers agreed to raise the nation's debt ceiling in exchange for hundreds of billions in federal spending cuts over the next decade, investors breathed only momentary relief. They quickly changed focus to the increasingly ugly fundamentals: Gross domestic product is barely growing, the unemployment rate is high, home prices are falling and the manufacturing sector is suffering, with little relief in sight.

A stream of data in recent days vividly portrays a sick economy. One more obstacle, experts say, might put an end to growth. Read more....