Beset by scarce credit, falling asset prices and costly food, developed-country households are hardly well-equipped to foot the oil bill.

ECONOMIST: The oil price: Recoil | The

The FOMC debate, if any, will focus on potential losses that may be suffered by the Fed from asset and debt pricing (falling bond prices and rising interest rates).

FORBES: EURO Continues To Punch Above Its Weight Class

If the cycle of falling asset prices, insolvency and credit constriction is excessive, the government may have to step in and buy up bad assets en masse, as has often occurred in other financial meltdowns (see article).

ECONOMIST: Saving Wall Street

Falling asset prices meant that many banks and firms had debts that outweighed their assets.

ECONOMIST: The global crash

It can indicate that asset prices are falling, borrowers defaulting and banks either failing or sitting on their cash instead of lending it out.

FORBES: Magazine Article

He has aggressively exploited falling asset prices in Asia to take control of franchises, brought licensed-out products back in house and increased the proportion of directly operated stores.

ECONOMIST: LVMH and Gucci