Prospects for an Economic<?xm-deletion_mark author="mortonlp" time="20080208T093722-0500" data="s"?> Downturn.

Examines statistical indicators of economic activity, with predictions of major commercial forecasting firms. Discusses events likely to set off a downturn, focusing on the behavior of the budget, the execution of monetary policy, and the relation of the U.S. economy to the rest of the world.