Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Ask CNN: How Long Will Economic Downturn Last

Aired September 04, 2001 - 07:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER JOHNES, PARIS FRANCE: Hi, I'm Jennifer Johnes from Paris, France, and I would like to ask CNN how long would the economic downturn is going to last?

ANNA BEMASEK, WRITER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Unfortunately, nobody knows the answer to that question. All we can really do is speculate. But what we do know is that the economy has stopped deteriorating. It's stabilized now and the big question going forward is what happens next. And there are really three possibilities.

We could either have a recovery or we could see a shock hit the economy and send us down again. Or the third case is that we could bump along the bottom.

Given those three outcomes, the most likely is a recovery and here's why. There are a number of really powerful forces working to boost the economy right now -- low interest rates, tax cuts, low inflation, falling energy prices and resilient consumer spending.

Now, with all those forces at work, what you should start to see right now are signs of recovery.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com