Mindful of its large public debt, Italy refrained from using fiscal policy as an active tool to stimulate the economy, and has managed to keep its budget deficit below the euro-area average (see left-hand chart).

ECONOMIST: Economics focus

The chancellor of the exchequer, Gordon Brown, hitherto a seriously hyper-active type, needed a break from using fiscal policy to mend every last thing in the economy that does not work exactly as he thinks it should, and so did the country.

ECONOMIST: Britain has a two-faced chancellor

Like most of Western Europe, before the reform Poland was facing a fiscal time-bomb, with the number of active workers for each pensioner expected to fall from four to three by 2020.

ECONOMIST: Economic and social reforms remain incomplete

Really tight fiscal policy may push the Fed to become even more active, Nordvig says.

FORBES: A Romney Victory Will Send The U.S. Dollar And Equities Higher, But Only In The Short Term, Nomura Says

At the end of fiscal year 2011, the FBI had more than 2, 500 active corporate and securities fraud investigations representing a 47% increase since 2008.

FORBES: Financial Crimes Up 47% Since '08 Crisis: FBI