All this points to an economy that is faltering not because of slowing export demand but because European consumers are suddenly less willing to spend.

ECONOMIST: Europe's economies

While China holds an abundance of tungsten that it will not export, there is still global demand for the metal.

FORBES: Feasibility Study Pegs Northcliff's Sisson Tungsten Deposit Among Largest Outside Of China

Many export specialised products (aircraft, sophisticated drugs) for which demand does not vary much with price anyway.

ECONOMIST: British exports: Trading out of trouble | The