Economía global

There has been further evidence of global economic recovery with new figures for growth from Italy and Japan. The figures follow signs of improvement in other leading economies, notably the United States and several in Europe.

This report from Andrew Walker.

The world economy has not managed a convincing recovery from what was, by many analysts' reckoning, a global recession in 2001.The following year saw rather better growth, but still below normal.

That continued into the first few months of this year, as business was held back by fears about the coming war in Iraq and the pneumonia-like illness, SARS.

The war is now over and the spectre of SARS in abeyance. The new figures from Italy and Japan add to a picture of strengthening performance around the world. The United States is leading the improvement, having recorded very strong growth in the third quarter of this year.

Germany, France and the Netherlands have started growing again after a period of declining output and British growth has accelerated.

In continental Europe, the growth was not particularly strong, but it was growth.

And there are concerns about the amount of debt that consumers have built up in some countries, notably Britain.

There are also some worries that house prices are too high in some countries - Britain again and the United States - and that a fall could cause consumers to cut back spending on goods and services.

Nonetheless, the general global economic outlook now looks a good deal more positive than it was earlier in the year.

by many analysts' reckoning
de acuerdo con las opiniones de varios analistas

saw rather better growth
registró un mayor crecimiento

the spectre of SARS in abeyance
la amenaza del SARS ya no asusta a nadie

third quarter of this year
tercer trimestre del año: julio, agosto y septiembre

a period of declining output
período de caída de la producción

accelerated
acelerado

strong
fuerte, intenso

nonetheless
a pesar de todo (hubo crecimiento, poco, pero crecimiento al fin)

the amount of debt that consumers have built up
el nivel de endeudamiento de los consumidores

a good deal more positive
(luce) mucho más promisorio