The fears over a default by Greece or Spain and the potential for a double-dip recession led the concerns, as discussed in this article from CNNMoney.

FORBES: The Week Ahead: Scaling the Wall of Worry

Estate agents in the area said the recession had led to a dip in sales, but not of premium seafront homes which were still rising in price.

BBC: Second homes a double-edged sword in Cornwall's Rock

Although weak seasonality led to a quarter-on-quarter dip in revenue, strong sales of premium TVs in developed markets and LED TVs in emerging markets saw shipments outstrip market growth and drive a sharp increase in profitability.

ENGADGET: Samsung's Q1 2012 profits nearly double year-over-year on higher margins for TVs and phones

Kofi Annan, Brahimi's predecessor, negotiated an April 12 ceasefire agreement which led to a slight dip in the violence for a few days but saw fighting steadily escalate in the ensuing weeks.

MSN: Brahimi seeks Iranian help for Syria ceasefire

It enters a hotly-contested market led by Groupon which recently suffered a dip in share price owing to lower-than-expected sales.

BBC: AmazonLocal daily deal service launched in UK