Europe's Weak Growth Numbers May Have Big Impact on U.S.

The face of U.S. economy worries has another wrinkle: Europe.

Economic data from Europe this morning showed that France and Germany, the continent's two biggest economies, grew at a weaker-than-expected pace in the first quarter, amid softening exports and investment, while also showing signs of inflation.

The slowdown in Europe poses another challenge to a corporate America struggling to fend off the slowing at home. While analysts said today's numbers weren't stark enough to provoke widespread panic, a global slowdown could imperil the second-half recovery for the U.S. economy that Wall Street is betting heavily on. ...