Beginning of article  Central banks around the world are racing
to stave off a global slump that some economists now warn could
become one of the sharpest slowdowns of the post-war era.
Before the terrorist attacks on the United States, the major
industrialized nations of the world already appeared headed for
a rare synchronized downturn. Now, in the aftermath of the
tragedy, the US economy is plunging further toward recession -
and the effects are starting to ripple around the world.  In
just the past few days, several prominent economists have added
a darker hue to their forecasts for the world economy. While
most don't foresee a slump as long or as deep as the "oil shock"
of the early 1970s, others believe it could be more than a
short- lived blip.  Almost everything, of course, will turn on
how quickly the US economy - which represents about one-quarter
of global output - rebounds. A widely watched gauge of consumer
sentiment released yesterday did little to instill optimism. The
consumer confidence inde