Paul metropolitan area has several large medical device manufacturers, Chazez says, and they seemed to weather the economic downturn with a minimal impact on staff levels.

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Clay has never been a favored surface for top American players in the professional era, but during the country's recent downturn, they've seemed positively allergic to the crushed brick.

WSJ: Americans Produce Feats on Clay

Even a mild business downturn could cause a revulsion against the kind of easy credit that put so many houses within financial reach (or seemed to).

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