These statistics include all types of examinations: risk priority examinations, follow up on tips and complaints, limited-scope special inspections to probe emerging risk areas, oversight examinations of broker-dealers to test compliance and reviews of the quality of examinations by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

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Pirelli says that leading car makers have been so excited by the improvements in quality that they have rushed the new tyres into their test programmes.

ECONOMIST: Re-inventing the wheel

In an informal test of solar lights carried out by The Economist in Africa, users grumbled about the soapy quality of light and lantern-style design.

ECONOMIST: Solar lighting

Certainly the Volt will have to prove itself by demonstrating good quality over years of performance, says David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' auto test division.

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