NO RECOVERY YET - AT 6:05 P.M. ET: 

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Retail sales fell in April for a second straight month, dashing hopes that consumer spending was starting to revive and would help end the recession.

Economists said families who are worried about layoffs and unpaid job furloughs are saving more and spending less, delaying the start of a sustained recovery.

The disappointing report helped send stocks down on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones industrial average slid 184 points -- more than 2 percent. Other major indexes fell even more sharply.

Retail sales fell 0.4 percent last month, worse than the flat performance many economists had expected, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

COMMENT:  We're getting many "expert" opinions on the direction of the economy.  The numbers, though, are not encouraging.  If conditions continue, next year can turn out to be the political reverse of 2008.

May 13, 2009