Warning on eurozone economy dip

The eurozone economy could shrink by more than 5% in 2009, the European Central Bank has said, worse than previously forecast.
The bank said it expected the eurozone economy to contract by between 4.1% and 5.1% this year.
However, it predicted an improvement next year, with growth of between -1.0% and 0.4% in 2010.
The comments came after the ECB kept eurozone interest rates on hold at 1%, in a move widely expected by analysts.
The Bank of England also kept UK rates on hold at 0.5% on Thursday.
Quantitative easing
At the press conference following the rate decision, the ECB’s president, Jean-Claude Trichet, said that the bank’s planned purchase of 60bn euros of company bonds ($85bn; £52bn) would start from next month.
The ECB is buying the bonds as a means to increase the amount of money in the financial system – a policy known as quantitative easing – to try to help the economy by returning lending by commercial banks to normal levels.
Mr Trichet said the bond purchases would be spread across the eurozone, which comprises the 16 nations that share the single currency, and completed before July next year „at the latest“.
The ECB is continuing to be far more cautious with its quantitative easing than the Bank of England and Federal Reserve, a decision that has been greatly welcomed by the German government.
Berlin has long cautioned against the more aggressive stance taken in London and Washington, saying it builds up too much debt for the future.
Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised the Fed and Bank of England earlier this week for excessive spending to try to lift the US and UK economies.
The ECB last cut rates in May, when they were reduced to 1% from 1.25%. It has reduced rates seven times since last October, when rates stood at 4.25%.