Second, this shift in relative prices encourages Americans to spend less on imports while boosting American exports.

ECONOMIST: Why America's deficit is hard to turn around

Globalisation is causing the biggest shift in relative prices (of labour, capital, commodities and goods) for a century, and this in turn is causing a significant redistribution of income.

ECONOMIST: The rich nations no longer dominate global production

The report explains that over the next two decades, the relative power of major international actors will shift markedly.

FORBES: Global Trends 2030 With America At The Center

Meanwhile, the volatility of share prices over the past couple of years has made the returns on property look more attractive, encouraging households to shift some of their money out of equities into the relative safety of bricks and mortar.

ECONOMIST: House prices

Although the total amount (weight) of herbicides used with (and without) genetically engineered, herbicide-tolerant crops in the United States may have increased relative to usage levels 10 years ago, there has been a concomitant shift to more environmentally benign, rapidly degraded herbicides.

FORBES: Bittman of the 'New York Times': Always Out To Lunch

Analysts and money managers blame the relative scarcity of new bonds on a lack of clarity regarding proposed rules changes intended to shift the financial burden of future bank rescues from taxpayers to bondholders.

WSJ: Riskier Debt Still Beckons After Losses