A build-up of bearish¹ data fuelled fears of a US economic slowdown yesterday as consumer confidence slumped² to a two-year low and house prices in big cities suffered their biggest drop in 16 years.

越来越多的证据表明，信贷紧缩和房地产市场危机正蔓延至美国国内经济的其它领域，这将加大美联储(Fed)面临的压力，迫使其在今日结束的货币政策会议上不得不抛开对通胀日益加剧的担忧，做出降息决定。

The growing evidence that the credit squeeze and housing meltdown are spreading to the rest of the domestic economy will increase pressure on the Federal Reserve to set aside concerns over rising inflation and cut interest rates today.

宝洁(Procter & Gamble)和美国钢铁(US Steel)等蓝筹公司发布的业绩令投资者颇感失望，从而加剧了笼罩市场的悲观气氛。在这一消息打击下，截至纽约午盘交易时间，标准普尔500(S&P?500)指数下跌0.3%。

Blue chips such as Procter & Gamble and US Steel added to the gloom with results that disappointed investors³ and contributed to a 0.3 per cent fall in the S&P?500 in New York midday trading.