When the ECB gets together next week, the Eurozone’s central bankers will look at an economy which is currently showing signs of a slowdown and very little evidence that the latest inflation projections are more than only wishful thinking. In fact, the first two months of the year were two months to forget. While the weakening of several confidence indicators could still be filed away as a leveling off from record-high levels, the slide in hard data is more worrisome. It would already need very strong March readings to avoid a disappointing first quarter. Still, despite this short-term weakening, it is far too early ... (full story)