Japan slipped into recession…
…and the yen fell to a seven-year low against the dollar
Natural gas prices rose
after a winter storm buried parts of the US in record amounts of snow
One measure of US inflation crept up
New jobless claims
paused in their march to a 14-year low
Housing starts slowed (though single-family starts rose at the fastest pace this year)
The iron price fell in a sign of China’s continued economic slowdown…
…as a Chinese manufacturing price index gets closer to contraction
In response, China’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate
