As Dow Swoons, Economists Grow Concerned

By Liane Hansen

Published April 17, 2005 at 12:00 AM EDT

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average index experienced its largest single-day drop in almost two years. The decline comes on the heels of decreasing consumer spending and slowing job growth. Host Liane Hansen speaks to David Wyss, chief economist for Standard and Poor's, about the cooling off of the U.S. economy.

Tags

NPR Top Stories NPR News

Liane Hansen

Liane Hansen has been the host of NPR's award-winning Weekend Edition Sunday for 20 years. She brings to her position an extensive background in broadcast journalism, including work as a radio producer, reporter, and on-air host at both the local and national level. The program has covered such breaking news stories as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the capture of Saddam Hussein, the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Columbia shuttle tragedy. In 2004, Liane was granted an exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay prior to his report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The show also won the James Beard award for best radio program on food for a report on SPAM.