The A-share indices bottomed out in November 2008, plummeting 70% from their October 2007 peak.

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Although a stock-picker who underperforms benchmark share-price indices will find himself out of a job, there are no benchmarks for investment consultants themselves.

ECONOMIST: Fund management

It represents a big share of the action of several market indices and ETFs.

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Bank share prices have crumpled again, dragging the indices into free fall.

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Since the main stockmarket indices peaked late last month, falling share prices have gone hand in hand with rising bond prices.

ECONOMIST: Wall Street

As these and even broader indices scaled new heights, many of the firms within them saw their share prices fall.

ECONOMIST: A wobble down Wall Street