All eyes on Federal Reserve chief as US economy slows

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke will offer a fresh assessment Friday of the weakening US economy as the government is expected to slash nearly half of projected growth for the second quarter.

With markets haunted by fears the world’s largest economy may slip back into recession, Bernanke’s speech on “the economic outlook and the Federal Reserve’s policy response” at a central bankers’ conference could not be more timely.