LSE's own business plan sees its Alternative Investment Market luring mid-sized companies from continental Europe with the promise of low costs and deep liquidity.

ECONOMIST: London Stock Exchange

Pleats were big in menswear until the mid-'50s, when flat-front pants arrived with that era's slim Continental look, and stayed in vogue, only ending when boxy looks took over in the '80s.

WSJ: The Pleats Plea: Wear These

The promise of a massive support program for Spanish and Italian debt markets started boosting continental bourses in late July as government bond yields backed down from scary mid-summer peaks.

FORBES: Is the European Retail Rebound for Real?