A tentative view that the global economy is emerging from its lull could harden into conventional wisdom by the end of this week if, as expected, data show the euro zone's lengthy recession has ended.
While Europe is still the world's biggest trading region, some of its recent major exports - financial market panic, banking scares and political uncertainty - have dragged on the world economy over the last three years.
There are now signs of a nascent recovery, led by Germany and perhaps Britain.
(Read more: Euro zone seen growing at last: Thank Germany)
Wednesday's data are expected to show the euro zone economy grew 0.2 percent in the second quarter, according to a Reuters poll. That would mark an end to the recession that took hold in late 2011.
That won't change the U.S. position as the main engine of economic growth in the world, at least until next year, with Chinese growth still slowing and India wracked by a currency in free-fall.
But even the smallest sign of a recovery in Europe augurs well for the rest of the year.