8 signs of hope for the economy

Are we on the brink of a rebound, or is it a false spring? Fortune looks at the evidence for an imminent recovery.

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Green shoots
Is the economy looking up, or at least bottoming out? Lately there has been much talk about "glimmers of hope," in President Obama's words, and "green shoots," a phrase du jour used by the likes of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Meanwhile, many economists have warned about a false spring, pointing to numbers that are still getting worse, like the unemployment rate. Fortune takes a closer look at the upbeat news to assess whether how strong a case they make for an imminent recovery.

By Beth Kowitt, reporter

NEXT: Housing starts
Last updated May 05 2009: 12:04 PM ET
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