How has the economy changed since last summer? Christine Romans weighs in

(CNNMoney) - U.S. stocks fell sharply Tuesday, with the Dow suffering a triple-digit decline for a third session, on a combination of gloomy factors.

However, the market recovered some ground just before the closing bell after a report in the Wall Street Journal suggested the Federal Reserve may be moving toward more simulative monetary policies.

The outlook for U.S. economic growth has dimmed amid a recent spate of disappointing reports, including weak manufacturing data from the Richmond Federal Reserve Tuesday.

On Starting Point this morning, Christine Romans breaks down the latest economic data and discusses Congress' role in the continuing downturn.