BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that Germany faces a "year of bad news" in 2009 but insisted her government will do what is necessary to ensure Europe's biggest economy weathers the financial crisis.

Germany fell into recession in the third quarter and the government recently slashed its 2009 growth forecast by one percentage point to 0.2 percent — although many economists now expect negative growth.

"It is clear that current forecasts predict at best marginal growth for next year," Merkel said in a speech to parliament.