Its low interest rates, which drag down the currency, can entice arbitrageurs to borrow yen and buy higher-yielding notes elsewhere (see the crushing run-up in the Kiwi dollar) in what is called the carry trade, while favorably priced imports of Japanese manufacture, especially autos, are rubbing salt in wounded places like Detroit.

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In the Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644), Huizhou merchants began to make a name for themselves for their trading prowess, dealing first in locally produced timber and tea and then expanding into the lucrative salt trade.

BBC: Rural adventures in China��s backcountry

During its golden age, Timbuktu was a thriving desert trading town at the heart of important trade routes for gold and salt, and a major intellectual and spiritual center, which played a key role in the spread of Islam in Africa.

CNN: Timbuktu: Mali's treasure at risk from armed uprising