The decision is followed by a surge in canceled and delayed flights, which American blames on an illegal work slowdown by pilots.

WSJ: A timeline of events in American Airlines' history

My grandpop used to have an expression -- a couple of you heard me say -- when the guy -- he was from Scranton -- when the guy in Oliphant's is out of work it's an economic slowdown -- that's a little town outside of Scranton.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Calls for New Steps to Prepare Children for College and Careers | The White House

Hongbin Qu, chief economist for China at HSBC, said the improvement in factory conditions suggests earlier easing measures from Beijing have started to work and should ease concerns of a sharp growth slowdown.

WSJ: Asia Stocks Fall on China Data

Having created so much construction work, though, they have been hit especially hard by the slowdown.

ECONOMIST: California

That may work for decades, but what happens when the local taxpayers go through a prolonged economic slowdown and the tax base in the district stagnates?

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That we sort of have to work our way beyond because 50 percent or 60 percent of what's going on in the economic slowdown pinches on whether or not consumers remain confident and continue to spend money.

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