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| US admits economy is in downturn | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson has admitted that the US economy is facing a "sharp decline" at the moment but hoped for a recovery later in the year. | US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson has admitted that the US economy is facing a "sharp decline" at the moment but hoped for a recovery later in the year. |
| The news comes after the US central bank, the Federal Reserve intervened to rescue troubled bank Bear Stearns, providing $30bn in emergency support. | The news comes after the US central bank, the Federal Reserve intervened to rescue troubled bank Bear Stearns, providing $30bn in emergency support. |
| Mr Paulson said that he did not believe investors saw the move as a bail-out. | Mr Paulson said that he did not believe investors saw the move as a bail-out. |
| The Fed is expected to slash interest rates later on Tuesday to help boost confidence in financial markets. | The Fed is expected to slash interest rates later on Tuesday to help boost confidence in financial markets. |
| Meanwhile, two other leading Wall Street banks reported sharply reduced profits. | Meanwhile, two other leading Wall Street banks reported sharply reduced profits. |
| Goldman Sachs posted earnings of $1.5bn, while Lehman Brothers, whose shares had fallen sharply on Monday, earned $489m, or 60% less than in the same period last year. | |
| More rate cuts | More rate cuts |
| We know we're in a sharp downclimb and there's no doubt that the American people know that the economy has turned down Hank Paulson, US Treasury Secretary | |
| Economists are forecasting that the benchmark US interest rate will be cut by up to one percentage point from 3% to 2%. The decision will be announced at 1815 GMT (1415 EST). | |
| It would be the fifth rate cut since the credit crunch started. | It would be the fifth rate cut since the credit crunch started. |
| Mr Paulson has been touring the US breakfast television studios in an attempt to reassure markets and consumers about the economic situation. | Mr Paulson has been touring the US breakfast television studios in an attempt to reassure markets and consumers about the economic situation. |
| "We know we're in a sharp downclimb and there's no doubt that the American people know that the economy has turned down," he said. | "We know we're in a sharp downclimb and there's no doubt that the American people know that the economy has turned down," he said. |
| He said that policy was focused on calming the financial markets. | He said that policy was focused on calming the financial markets. |
| "The big focus on the part of all policy makers is to minimise the spillover to the real economy," he added. | "The big focus on the part of all policy makers is to minimise the spillover to the real economy," he added. |
| Slowing economy | Slowing economy |
| Mr Paulson declined to use the word recession to characterise the US economy, but recent polls of both economists and the public have revealed that they disagree. | Mr Paulson declined to use the word recession to characterise the US economy, but recent polls of both economists and the public have revealed that they disagree. |
| The latest economic figures to suggest a sharp slowdown were the industrial production figures, published on Monday, which fell by 0.5% in February. | The latest economic figures to suggest a sharp slowdown were the industrial production figures, published on Monday, which fell by 0.5% in February. |
| US job growth was also negative in February, but Mr Paulson said he expected the economic package and further rate cuts to lead to 500,000 more jobs this year. | US job growth was also negative in February, but Mr Paulson said he expected the economic package and further rate cuts to lead to 500,000 more jobs this year. |
| But the Fed also faces worrying pressures over inflation. | |
| US producer prices, released on Tuesday, rose by 0.3% in February compared to the month before, but a key measure of core inflation at the fastest pace in well over a year. | |
| MAIN SUB-PRIME LOSSES SO FAR Citigroup: $18bn Merrill Lynch: $14.1bnUBS: $13.5bn Morgan Stanley $9.4bn HSBC: $3.4bnBear Stearns: $3.2bn Deutsche Bank: $3.2bn Bank of America: $3bnBarclays: $2.6bn Royal Bank of Scotland: $2.6bn Freddie Mac: $2bnJP Morgan Chase: $3.2bn Credit Suisse: $1bn Wachovia: $1.1bn IKB: $2.6bn Paribas: $197mSource: Company reports Timeline: Sub-prime crisisQ&A: Bear Stearns crisis | MAIN SUB-PRIME LOSSES SO FAR Citigroup: $18bn Merrill Lynch: $14.1bnUBS: $13.5bn Morgan Stanley $9.4bn HSBC: $3.4bnBear Stearns: $3.2bn Deutsche Bank: $3.2bn Bank of America: $3bnBarclays: $2.6bn Royal Bank of Scotland: $2.6bn Freddie Mac: $2bnJP Morgan Chase: $3.2bn Credit Suisse: $1bn Wachovia: $1.1bn IKB: $2.6bn Paribas: $197mSource: Company reports Timeline: Sub-prime crisisQ&A: Bear Stearns crisis |
| The US Federal Reserve has been trying to restore confidence in the banking business. | The US Federal Reserve has been trying to restore confidence in the banking business. |
| It has already cut interest rates from 5.25% to 3% since mid-September in a bid to boost the economy. | It has already cut interest rates from 5.25% to 3% since mid-September in a bid to boost the economy. |
| Banks have been unwilling to lend to each other because they are worried about losses on investments backed by US mortgages. | Banks have been unwilling to lend to each other because they are worried about losses on investments backed by US mortgages. |
| Those investments have been hit by the slump in the US housing market. | Those investments have been hit by the slump in the US housing market. |
| New figures showed that housing starts and building permits fell, the latter to the losest annual rate since 1991. | |
| "The housing industry is in a recession," said Josh Stiles, bond strategist at IDEAGlobal. | |
| "There is no reason for the Fed not to be aggressive," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. | "There is no reason for the Fed not to be aggressive," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. |
| "The economy is in a recession, the financial system is in disarray and inflation is low," he added. | "The economy is in a recession, the financial system is in disarray and inflation is low," he added. |
| Do you have any questions on how the world economic situation might affect you? Have you already been hit by tightening credit conditions? Send us your questions and experiences using the form below: | Do you have any questions on how the world economic situation might affect you? Have you already been hit by tightening credit conditions? Send us your questions and experiences using the form below: |