In U.S., Europe And Japan, Growth Remains Weak

ByJohn S. McClenahen When the GDP numbers for this year's July-through-September quarter start coming in later this week, they'll show the world's major economies remain weak. The U.S. probably will post an inflation-adjusted annual rate of below 3%. And, figures Merrill Lynch & Co., New York, soon-to-be released data will show just 0.6% GDP growth for the 12 European nations using a common currency while Japan will register only 0.1% GDP growth. Merrill Lynch's economists expect U.S. GDP to continue to grow at a "sub-par" rate of about 2.5% through the first calendar quarter of 2003. And, "there is nothing on the policy horizon to suggest that Europe or Japan will soon be ready to run on their own steam," the economists add.