And to say RBS is in the doldrums would be a gross understatement.

ECONOMIST: Face value

But the big difference is that South Korea's economy seems to be recovering quickly from recession, while Japan's continues to languish in the doldrums.

ECONOMIST: Yin and yang | The

They may be less sexy than the latest darlings, but their stockholders get paid even if the sector remains in the doldrums for some time.

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Rising energy prices are putting pressure on American wholesalers to try to raise prices, data for May showed Tuesday, but with the housing market mired in post- subprime doldrums and creating a drag on the overall economy, it will be increasingly difficult to make them stick.

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