A selection of recent economic data and surveys have suggested late 2008 and early 2009 may have marked the worst point for the global economic downturn.
Other evidence has been less upbeat, leaving governments, business and investors trying to determine when the recession will end and recovery kick in.
Below is a brief selection of Reuters stories and reference links that take the pulse and tell the story. This page will be updated regularly. UPSIDE >Global PMI best in 5 mths in April, but jobs grim [ID:nL3305905] >US consumers, home prices boost recovery hope [ID:nN28304426] >European sentiment rebounds in April [ID:nLT148975] >China Q1 GDP at record slow but upturn in sight [ID:nSP421707] DOWNSIDE >US Q1 GDP almost as bad as Q4 [ID:nN29391402] >Japan GDP outlook grim. Even more stimulus needed? [ID:nT365993] >Germany sees GDP -6 pct in '09, jobless surge [ID:nBAF001664] >Spanish growth in Q1 worst since World War Two [ID:nLT272403] ANALYSIS/POLLS >Global economic recovery: slow train coming [ID:nLE102058] >POLL-Financial crisis has a year or more to go [ID:nLN383363] >POLL-No quick reprieve for G7, 250-analyst survey [ID:nL8523103] ANTI-RECESSION POLICIES >FACTBOX-Fiscal stimulus in G20 countries [ID:nLT60041] >FACTBOX-Central banks try new tricks to help [ID:nLJ943900] >TABLE-Selected GDP forecasts from IMF and OECD [ID:nLS824515] USEFUL LINKS *IMF GDP forecasts http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/pdf/tables.pdf *Financial market bailout cost: http://www.imf.org/external/np/fad/2009/042609_table3.pdf *ILO jobless forecasts (page 35 of below link): http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_101461.pdf *Recessions over the decades: http://www.nber.org/cycles.html (Compiled by Brian Love)