Full recovery still a way off: Obama

L'AQUILA, ITALY: G8 leaders agreed that a full economic recovery was still a way off and that it was too early to begin winding down stimulus measures, US President Barack Obama said on Friday.

"While our markets are improving, and we appear to have averted global collapse, we know too many people are still struggling," said Obama.

"So we agreed that full recovery is still a way off, that it would be premature to begin winding down our stimulus plans and that we must sustain our support for those plans to lay the foundation for a strong and lasting recovery," he added in a post-summit press conference.