One of the things that stands out about this project is how it was funded.

I feel as though I am swimming in an ocean of knowledge with but a teaspoon to consume it.

Pounding the pavement, standing up long hours at events, the kinds of things you have to do in a campaign ... It's definitely disappointing and frustrating. But we'll live to fight another day.

Higher energy prices have taken their toll of hopes for top-line growth. 'Cost-cutting' as a driver of earnings is back on the radar screen.

The euphoria we saw at the beginning of the year about the world experiencing a synchronized cyclical recovery has disappeared. While it doesn't feel like a recession is around the corner, fund managers are clearly less confident that the recovery can be sustained.

All the warning signs that had been detected in recent surveys have come to a head. There is now a deep-seated view that core inflation is on the rise and monetary policy should be tightened. This comes at a time when global growth expectations are already softening.