Foreign banks, which appeal to companies and richer Indians, are more profitable in India than their local rivals (see chart).

ECONOMIST: Indian banks: For I'm a jolly good fellow | The

The survey compares the prices of goods and services typically consumed by the families of executives being sent overseas. (Importantly, however, it does not include the cost of accommodation.) The chart shows local costs as a percentage of those of living in New York.

ECONOMIST: LIVING EXPENSES

State and local governments account for most public investment (see chart).

ECONOMIST: The economy

As a share of what the CBO reckons is the normal labour force, it is the lowest since the 1960s (see chart), reflecting deep cuts in state and local government payrolls.

ECONOMIST: The size of the state

When construction in England peaked at 353, 000 homes in 1968, local councils were building about 40% of the total (see chart).

ECONOMIST: Most Britons want their own homes, and green spaces too