STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Wednesday, 19 November 2014

[Demeter]

19. EU cuts growth forecast for next two years

http://www.dw.de/eu-cuts-growth-forecast-for-next-two-years/a-18038031

The European Union has slashed its economic growth estimate for the 28-nation bloc, indicating the current recovery will remain sluggish until 2016. Weak France and Italy are proving a drag on higher growth. According to the European Commission's autumn economic forecast released Tuesday, output in the 28-nation bloc is expected to grow by only 1.3 percent this year, instead of an earlier prediction of 1.6 percent.

For the 18 nations that use the single currency, the outlook by the EU executive is even bleaker, forecasting economic expansion to reach just 0.8 percent, rather than 1.2 percent, as predicted earlier. In the two years ahead, eurozone economies are expected to expand by 1.1 percent and 1.7 percent, which is also lower than previously calculated by the Commission.

In the wake of a prolonged recession in the eurozone, the economic and employment situation was "not improving fast enough" said EU Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen.

THE REST IS PUTTING THE BLAME IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES....