True, he was helped by Mr Brown's often surreal efforts to ingratiate himself with the Lib Dem leader (his party could, after all, hold the balance of power in a hung parliament).

ECONOMIST: The daily take

By forging a united front, the Kurds will bolster their strength in the national assembly in Baghdad (where they may even hold the balance) and secure a key spot in Iraq's post-election constitutional debate.

ECONOMIST: Iraq's Kurds

Tech companies, which tend to dominate growth portfolios, and other large global growth companies, tend to hold a lot of cash and have strong balance sheets.

FORBES: Take Measured Steps Toward Growth

Whoever wins will lack a majority in Congress, in which the grip of the two traditional parties has been challenged not just by Mr Solis (who will hold the balance of power) but also by a free-market party (which captured six of the 57 seats).

ECONOMIST: Costa Rica's election

Regulators say holding back a small amount of customer cash would decrease the amount of capital that firms would have to hold in reserve and compare the idea to a minimum account balance required by banks.

WSJ: U.S. Sets Money-Market Plan

They can remain on the balance sheet with a footnote explaining the intent to hold to maturity.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Their improvement, on the back of improved private sector balance sheets, suggests a broader recovery is taking hold, according to the report, co-authored by Hatzius and Zach Pandel.

FORBES: Labor Market Optimism? 'Bubble' States' Job Growth Paves The Way

Also of concern to regulators is the potential for banks and brokerage firms to use those trades to move bonds off their balance sheets by asking a third-party investor to hold the debt temporarily.

WSJ: China Probe Focuses on Trading of Bonds

They want to keep on good terms with a party which, even in its diminished state, could yet hold the balance of power in 2015.

ECONOMIST: The coalition��s performance