Consumer confidence up from record low; job worries persist

Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:01:30 -0400

Consumer confidence up from record low; job worries persist

Consumer confidence ticks up in March from a record low in February as
severe worries about the economy and jobs in coming months slightly
ease, according to the monthly Conference Board index reports.

ECONOMIC REPORT: HOME VALUES SINK AT RECORD PACE IN JANUARY

Home values in 20 major U.S. cities fall at the fastest rate on record
in January and are now down a record 19% in the 12 months ending in
January, Standard & Poor's reports.

ECONOMIC REPORT: GLOBAL ECONOMY TO SHRINK IN 2009, WORLD BANK SAYS

The global economy is expected to contract in 2009 for the first time
since World War II and the recovery next year is likely to be very
fragile, the World Bank said Tuesday in its latest economic outlook.

GLOBAL EQUITIES STRUGGLE AS INVESTORS AWAIT A U.S.-LED RECOVERY

International fund investors who have suffered substantial losses
recently and are looking for a bounce-back need to keep a close eye on
the U.S. That's
because in the view of fund managers an international recovery will
get under way only once the U.S. economy stops its fall.