Had it failed, the combination of a political crisis in Rome and global financial trouble would have put the lira and Italian interest rates under heavy pressure, jeopardising Italy's chances of joining the euro at a later date.

ECONOMIST: Italy

Industry analysts predict that sales of heavy duty trucks will increase by 14 percent this year, but year-to-date sales of 58, 846 Class 8 trucks, the largest size category, are still significantly below the 162, 545 sold in the first seven months of record-setting 2006.

FORBES: China's Insatiable Appetite For Heavy-Duty Trucks

The finance sector heavy iShares FTSE China (FXI) is down 11.5% year-to-date, the worst of the big BRIC exchange traded funds and underperforming the MSCI Emerging Markets index by wide margins.

FORBES: Market Still Ignores China's Relatively Positive Economy

The financial and real estate heavy iShares FTSE China ( FXI) exchange traded fund is up 2.05 percent year to date, beating the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

FORBES: Shanghai Housing Market Posts Huge Sales Spike

China Construction Bank shares ( HKG: 0939) are up 1.29 percent year to date and up slightly over 8 percent in the last quarter, beating the bank and real estate heavy FTSE China index.

FORBES: China Banks Look To Europe