Indeed, some wonder whether America's dwindling band of free traders were wise to risk so much for so small a deal.

ECONOMIST: A small victory for free trade as CAFTA passes | The

Smaller analyst firms usually make the highest market forecasts, since they have less to risk (reputation-wise) and more to gain (in attention) from a boldly bullish call.

FORBES: Connecting marketers to the Forbes audience. What is this?

Effectively punishing banks at a time of nervousness and risk aversion is not a wise move, he added.

FORBES: Market Scan

"The weird thing about industry classification is that, depending on the sources we look at, there are varying rates of risk, " says Cordell Wise, a Fair Isaac product manager.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The investor who is educated and wise enough to measure the risk they can take on with the amount of emerging market stocks they hold in their portfolios may find annual returns that pass 20% in the ten-year term.

FORBES: How Investors Are Gaining in Emerging Markets

Wise policymakers will not ignore the risk, however.

ECONOMIST: The gathering gloom | The

Having bought Gucci shares relatively cheaply, Mr Arnault might be wise to sit on his stake rather than risk damaging the brand.

ECONOMIST: LVMH and Gucci

The Myners proposal appears to assume that shareholders are wise enough to prevent corporate excess, in terms of pay packages or risk-taking.

ECONOMIST: The rights of shareholders and the wrongs done to clients

And even if the GOP wise guys figured out how to lure libertarians and moderates back, it runs the risk of disaffecting the largest faction of the party, the social conservatives, and leaving them sitting on their hands rather than marking ballots on Election Day.

FORBES: The Grand Old Republican Party Is Over