By the same token, Arab hopes that America might put active pressure on Israel also seem unlikely to be realised.

ECONOMIST: Changing camels in mid-dune

By offering a low cost alternative to mutual funds, they put pressure on active managers to add value to justify their fees.

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Although average prices have stopped falling, the more expensive firms such as Schwab and Fidelity are under huge pressure to offer their more active online traders a better deal.

ECONOMIST: The real virtual business

The U.S. government has also been "extremely active in the Congo Basin region in putting pressure on governments to take this issue seriously, " according to Huijbregts.

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And Japan's capital markets are not yet ready to fill the gap: although they are growing quickly, they still have a long way to go before institutional investors can exert real pressure on companies, and an active market in mergers and takeovers develops.

ECONOMIST: Japan��s keiretsu

Shinzo Abe, who was elected on September 26th as head of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, has said he will increase pressure on the BoJ to become more active in ending deflation.

ECONOMIST: Japan gives a lesson in how not to handle economic diplomacy

Thursday is the last trading day of the month and of the quarter, and portfolio managers were also likely more active in position adjustments, which also likely put some downside pressure on the metals.

FORBES: Comex Gold Ends Lower on Better Investor Risk Appetite

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Syrian government could have been more active in implementing the peace plan, but he urged heightened international pressure on opposition groups.

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