The euro's design was flawed, without fiscal integration or a central bank to act as a lender of last resort.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

That will be essential because the fiscal retrenchment needed to sort out the public finances will act as a persistent drag on the economy.

ECONOMIST: The economy after the election

If the fiscal-cliff debate lingers, some analysts expect gold to act as a risk asset and track markets like equities, while others look for the precious metal to regain its safe-haven appeal.

FORBES: FOCUS: Gold Market Focused On Fiscal Cliff--Safe Haven Or Risk Asset?