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Four out of five metropolitan areas recorded lower home prices in the third quarter from a year earlier, while existing-home sales fell in 32 states from the second quarter, according to the latest quarterly survey by the National Association of Realtors(R).

Corporations are expected to purchase a record number of gift cards this holiday season as part of employee recognition programs, according to the Incentive Gift Card Council, a strategic industry group within the Incentive Marketing Association. This comes as no surprise, since the popularity of gift cards for consumers is well-documented, with some studies showing estimated spending by both businesses and consumers at $400 billion in 2008.

Emerging East Asia’s local currency bond markets have shown great resilience to global credit turmoil and can be a key source of funds for governments looking to finance expansionary fiscal policies to offset an anticipated economic slowdown, says a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Over half of private equity leaders are confident that the full recovery of the market is no more than 18 months away, new research commissioned by Celerant Consulting reveals.

Parliament says duty free shopping at regional airports and at EU-external land borders should still be possible. This position was part of a vote that on Commission plans to update the rules on excise duties. Other amendments set out when can travellers have access to duty free shops, and whether there should there be guidelines for the amount of alcohol and tobacco citizens can take across borders.

Mortgage rates remained relatively stable last week, with rates for 30-year fixed mortgages declining slightly to 6.03 percent, down from 6.09 percent the week prior, according to the Zillow Mortgage Rate Monitor, compiled by leading real estate Web site Zillow.com®.

The European Parliament adopted a legislative initiative report recommending a revision of existing legislation on equal pay. In the European Union, women earn on average 15% less and up to 25 % less in the private sector. In spite of the legislation in force for more than thirty years, the pay gap between women and men has been persistent, still varying between 4 and 25 % among the Member States with no narrowing trend.

Although the U.S. continues to rank high in entrepreneurial activity, the new GEM study suggests a portentous weakeningin the nation's normally robust entrepreneurial engine.

Currently, with the changing European economic landscape, CEE countries have emerged as one of the world's most attractive FDI destinations. Companies venturing out of India are currently trying to explore the less-familiar Central and Eastern European markets. These countries, namely Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, recently joined the EU and often called the "New Europe", offer Indian firms a stable operating environment in a strategic location, an educated workforce, great cost advantages, and a more secure legal framework.

The Conference Board reports that the leading index for France declined 0.6 percent and the coincident index remained unchanged in September.