On the positive side, the Commerce Department reports U.S.factory orders rose 0.4 percent in June, beating analysts' expectations.

VOA: standard.2009.08.05

The Commerce Department says retail sales rose 0.6 percent in June, about twice what economists had expected.

VOA: standard.2009.07.14

Nationwide department store sales edged ahead by 0.3% in June and 0.4% in Tokyo compared to one year ago.

FORBES: Risk And Euro Stage Recovery With Sweet Talk On Athens Debts

Industrial production in the euro area rose in June by 0.6%, making an increase of 1.4% over the previous 12 months.

ECONOMIST: America cuts again

Macroeconomic Advisers produces a monthly U.S. real GDP series and it shows that the peak was in April, as we expected, with both May and June down 0.4% in the worst back-to-back performance since the economy was crying Uncle!

FORBES: Despite A Slow Recovery, The Future Will Eventually Be Bright