DEEPER WORRIES: Confirmation that Italy’s recession is deepening means more pressure for Premier Mario Monti’s government, which is struggling to fend off a debt crisis.
CONTRACTING ECONOMY: Italy’s government said Monday that the nation’s economy contracted at a quarterly rate of 0.8 percent in the first three months of the year, the worst contraction in three years and double Spain’s rate.
MORE TO COME: The second quarter is expected to be equally dire — experts predict a contraction of between 0.6 percent and 0.7 percent.
