Europe heads toward recovery, but slowly

Europe's longest recession since World War II appears to be on the verge of ending, driven by a surge in German growth that is helping to blunt the severe economic pain faced by many in the region, but is too modest to lift the global outlook.

A string of recent economic data, including a robust German industrial production report on Wednesday, has boosted hopes that the 17-member euro zone has returned to weak growth after six quarters of contraction. German industrial production in June jumped 2.4% from May, the country's economy ministry said Wednesday, beyond economists' expectations for a 0.3% gain