In other words, the diesel engine manufacturer must pass along the cost of the starter to the truck company, and the truck company must then pass along the cost of the engine to the final consumer.

FORBES: Caterpillar's China Challenge

Hitachi CM, with flat-screen TV to make the results developed by Hitachi Consumer Electronics, for final assembly process to ensure that the consignment to the outside, we will build a stable business base for flat-panel TV business.

ENGADGET: Hitachi to halt domestic production of Wooo LCD and plasma TVs, Mitsubishi to axe optical discs?

Microsoft's online car, travel and finance services all leave third parties to handle the final transactions, but Microsoft retains the bond with the consumer thanks to the value it has added.

ECONOMIST: In one form or another, electronic commerce is here to stay

We expect this trend to continue in the final quarter with growing demand for consumer products in regions such as Argentina, China, India and South-East Asia.

FORBES: Colgate-Palmolive's Emerging Markets Growth And Oral Care Unit In Focus

The preliminary reading on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan plunged to 71.8, down sharply from the final February reading of 77.6.

FORBES: The Week Ahead: Will Google or Amazon Follow Apple?

The hope is that with the stimulus you can give a jump-start to consumer final demand.

FORBES: Impossible Things And Our Economic Recovery

Confidence improved by more than expected, according to the final October reading of the University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment.

ECONOMIST: Overview

The latest to get the in-depth treatment on the Building Windows 8 blog is the Mail app, which has already gone through some fairly big changes since the Consumer Preview and is apparently set to receive even more before the final release.

ENGADGET: Microsoft explains Windows 8's Mail app, promises more changes to come

The final August University of Michigan consumer confidence survey and the first revision to second-quarter GDP will be published on Friday.

FORBES: Why You Shouldn't Rely On A Single Indicator

Falling consumer spending and exports contributed to a contraction in the German economy - Europe's largest - in final three months of last year.

BBC: German shoppers

Each layer of distribution adds to the cost of goods thus eating into their already razor-thin margins, since all consumer goods sold in India have an MSRP which is the final price a customer is willing to pay.

FORBES: Creating Entrepreneurs at the Bottom of the Economic Pyramid