triple-dose of economic worries sent global financial markets sharply lower Thursday. There are mounting concerns about Europe's debt situation and signals of U.S. economic weakness triggered a sell-off of shares on both sides of the Atlantic, following earlier losses in Asia.
For weeks, the Greek debt crisis has taxed investor optimism while sapping strength from the Euro. The global downward market trend accelerated Thursday with two economic reports that cast doubt on the sustained vitality of the U.S. economic recovery.
First, the Labor Department reported a spike in the number of Americans filing for jobless benefits. The number of newly-laid off workers jumped unexpectedly to 471,000 last week, 25,000 more than the previou
