Stormy and a lot cooler. Not the weather, the economy.
Analysts see the United States headed for a dramatic slowdown in growth because of troubles in Asia.
And that is the best-case scenario. In the nightmare versions, economists fear the Asian crisis could spiral out of control, bringing down first Japan, then China and in short order engulfing the whole world in a global recession. While that doomsday scenario is considered only a remote possibility, most analysts believe a substantial reduction in U.S. growth is not only a virtual certainty but has already begun. Unemployment is inching up, orders for manufactured goods are falling and the trade deficit is setting records each month. Since Asia turned out worse than expected, the U.S. economy will turn out worse than expected.