有关美国经济的一系列新报告使得投资者担心全球经济发展速度减缓可能演变为衰退。美国政府报告显示，9月份工业产值降低将近3%，这是34年来的最大降幅，随后美国主要股指在星期四午间交易时急剧下挫。股票交易起伏不定，后来股市呈现涨势。
另一份报告说，美国东部地区10月的经济活动大幅下滑， 使得人们再度担心帮助陷于困境的金融机构的努力不能遏制经济出现衰退。通常对衰退的定义是连续两个季度出现经济负增长。
美国财政部长保尔森在接受电视台采访时说，监管和市场纪律失效等导致金融动荡的错误不会让他感到骄傲。但他强调说，他对政府采取的应对危机措施并不后悔。
A series of new reports on the U.S. economy has investors concerned a global economic slowdown could turn into a recession. The major U.S. stock indexes turned sharply lower in midday trading Thursday, after U.S. government reports showed industrial output in September fell almost three percent (two-point-eight percent), the biggest decline in 34 years. Stocks later posted some gains during volatile trading.
Another report said economic activity in the eastern U.S. plunged in October, raising new fears that efforts to help troubled financial institutions will not stop the economy from entering a recession. A recession is often defined as a six-month period when the economy shrinks (two consecutive quarters of negative growth).
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in a television interview that he is not proud of the mistakes that led to the financial turmoil, such as regulatory and market discipline failures. But he stressed that he has no regrets about the steps the government has taken to address the crisis.