Bush, Sarkozy to meet as signs of recession mount

NEW YORK,Oct 18 (Reuters): Evidence piled up Friday that the world is slipping into recession but the White House played down expectations for a weekend meeting between lame-duck US President George W. Bush and European Union leaders.
US consumer confidence and new-home construction plummeted in recent weeks in further signs of economic slowdown. US stock indices ended down on Friday despite better than expected earnings in the technology sector.