From one Financial Times story this morning:
Eurozone growth contracted at its fastest ever rate at the end of last year, with an unexpectedly-bad German performance deepening the recession more than had been feared. ... economists expect the eurozone economy to contract by as much as 2 per cent this year--making the recession one of the worst in continental Europe since the second world war.
And this, from another:
The rapid contraction of Germany's industrial sector shows no sign of abating according to data showing a record monthly fall in output at the end of last year. Industrial production fell by 4.6 per cent in December, more than in any month since German reunification in 1990, according to the Berlin economics ministry. That followed a 3.7 per cent fall in November.
But hey, why focus on the negative? from yet another FT story:
Berlin is already at work on preparing the post-crisis era. A senior finance ministry official said Peer Steinbr