FACTORY SLUMP CASTS DOUBT ON ECONOMIC REBOUND

The Eurozone’s factory output fell 2.1 percent in December, reflecting earlier reports of poor performance in France, Italy, and Germany.
The slump was worse than expected.
During the first 11 months of 2019, the region’s industrial production fell 4.1 percent, its worst drop since 2012’s sovereign debt crisis.
Analysts are revising downward their projections for industrial output during 2020’s first quarter as they try to factor in the coronavirus’s impact.
TRENDPOST: The coronavirus is a minor factor that overlies the greater ongoing global economic sag. As the virus ebbs, the slowdown will remain.