Could Breakout Year Turn Into Breakdown Year?

(IDEX Online) - This year was widely touted, just a few months ago, as a breakout year for the global economy in general, and the U.S. economy in particular. However, frustratingly turgid growth in the United States continues, with GDP growing at an annualized rate of only 0.1 percent in the first quarter and the country’s housing rebound has apparently stalled. Meanwhile, fears of deflation in the Euro zone and Japan, as well as a new sales tax in the world's third-largest economy, and a continuing slowdown in economic expansion in China have conspired to maintain tension across the globe in all things financial.