It is declining and will disappear in the next 8-10 years, but the accumulated funds plus future revenues will cover Social Security payments until about 2040.

ECONOMIST: Plugging the spending gap

The constitution will only come into force if all the 15 current EU members plus all 10 countries joining next year ratify it.

ECONOMIST: Discord over Giscard's Euro vision

Interest rates could come down as early as the first quarter of 2012, with the new leadership offering up targeted fiscal incentives for small and mid-sized companies to encourage job growth as the economy slows from 10%-plus growth to around 9% next year, according to International Monetary Fund GDP forecasts.

FORBES: BlackRock Doubts China Economy In For Hard Landing