恶劣天气影响美国经济恢复

A winter storm moving up from the U.S. southern states has brought heavy snow and freezing sleet to the Northeast, closing federal agencies, schools and airports while leaving half a million people without electricity.

At least 14 people were reported dead, according to government authorities. The latest winter storm crippled several states in the Southeast. It continued to wreak havoc as it moved north with much of America’s northeast brought to a standstill.

The nasty storm has also knocked out power to over half a million residents across 14 states. Thousands of flights have been cancelled and traffic has ground to a halt in some cases.

Economists say the continuous blizzards have impacted US economic performance. US industrial production fell 0.3 percent in January, while retail sales fell 0.4 percent from the prior month. Economists attribute the slowdowns largely to the weather.