WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - Not only does the 5.5% unemployment rate for May not signal the start of a recession, the risk of one has actually fallen, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke contended tonight. 'Indeed, although activity during the current quarter is likely to be weak, the risk that the economy has entered a substantial downturn appears to have diminished over the past month or so,' he said. Despite the 'unwelcome' rise in the unemployment rate reported last week, 'recent incoming data, taken as a whole, have affected the outlook for economic activity only modestly,' Bernanke said in prepared ... (full story)