Europe Bounces Back

First! France and Germany have beat the U.S. in the recovery race, officially pulling out of the global recession with modest 0.3 percent growth in each country for the last quarter. The good news isn't limited to Western Europe, though, as analysts cite positive economic signs in the U.S., China, and Japan as evidence that aggressive stimulus spending is successfully boosting the global economy. "They are good signs, but not yet conclusive," the chief European economist for HSBC told The Washington Post. "We still have to wait and see." Still, some countries do lag behind: Britain, Italy, and Spain have yet to turn around their economies.