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class="ec-channel-featured-links"><div class="item-list"><ul><li class="first"><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|free_exchange">Free exchange</a></li> <li class="even"><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonwood" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|buttonwoods_notebook">Buttonwood's notebook</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/economics/by-invitation" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|economics_by_invitation">Economics by invitation</a></li> <li class="even"><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/markets-data" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|markets_data">Markets & data</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/economics-a-to-z" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|economics_a_z">Economics A-Z</a></li> <li class="even"><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21547999" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|special_report_financial_innovation">Special report: Financial innovation</a></li> <li class="last"><a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/01/daily-chart-3" data-ec-omniture="channel|economics|big_mac_index">Big Mac Index</a></li> </ul></div></nav> </div> </div> <div id="column-content" class="grid-10 grid-first clearfix"> <!-- Create left column on search pages --> <div class="grid-7 grid-first"> <section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">Economists</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569692-james-buchanan-who-died-january-9th-illuminated-political-decision-making"> <div class="with-image"> <h2 class="headline">Free exchange: The voice of public choice</h2> <p class="rubric"> James Buchanan, who died on January 9th, illuminated political decision-making <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569692/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>19</span></span> </p> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130129061403im_/http://media.economist.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/news_package_primary_landscape/20130119_FND000_412.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-news_package_primary_landscape" width="412" height="232"/> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569752-efforts-are-under-way-improve-macroeconomic-models-new-model-army" class="headline">Economics after the crisis: New model army</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21569752/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>49</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569378-if-economists-agree-something-public-will-almost-certainly-think" class="headline">Free exchange: Room with a view</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21569378/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>15</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">The euro-zone crisis</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569727-government-bond-markets-peripheral-countries-are-soaring-time-celebrate"> <div> <h2 class="headline">The euro-zone crisis: Time to celebrate?</h2> <p class="rubric"> Government-bond markets in peripheral countries are soaring <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569727/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>118</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569049-irelands-success-attracting-foreign-investment-has-its-drawbacks-fitter-yet" class="headline">The Irish economy: Fitter yet fragile</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21569049/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>38</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21569437-ireland-model-adjustment-through-austerity-celtic-metamorphosis" class="headline">Charlemagne: Celtic metamorphosis</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21569437/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>54</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">House prices</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569396-our-latest-round-up-shows-many-housing-markets-are-still-dumps-home"> <div> <h2 class="headline">Global house prices: Home truths</h2> <p class="rubric"> Our latest round-up shows that many housing markets are still in the dumps <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569396/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>75</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/11/global-house-prices" class="headline">Daily chart: Location, location, location</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/11/global-house-prices#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>157</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">The platinum solution</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569413-crackpot-idea-circumvent-americas-debt-ceiling-gains-currency-toss-coin"> <div> <h2 class="headline">The platinum-coin option: Toss a coin</h2> <p class="rubric"> A crackpot idea to circumvent America鈥檚 debt ceiling gains currency <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569413/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>62</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/01/kludges" class="headline">Free exchange: is going platinum a good idea?</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/01/kludges#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>56</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/01/economics-platinum-coin-option" class="headline">Free exchange: platinomics</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/01/economics-platinum-coin-option#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>137</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">Dubai</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569036-gulf-emirate-flashy-ever-it-still-has-structural-problems"> <div> <h2 class="headline">Dubai鈥檚 renaissance: Edifice complex</h2> <p class="rubric"> The Gulf emirate is as flashy as ever, but it still has structural problems to solve <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569036/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>71</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/international/21569017-artificial-cooling-makes-hot-places-bearablebut-worryingly-high-cost-no-sweat" class="headline">No sweat: the costs of cooling down</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21569017/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>30</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">China</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569021-can-china-feel-its-way-across-turbulent-waters-financial-reform-stoneless"> <div> <h2 class="headline">Free exchange: Stoneless rivers</h2> <p class="rubric"> Can China feel its way across the turbulent waters of financial reform? <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569021/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>3</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/business/21566679-online-sales-are-booming-china-where-are-profits-pity-parcel-people" class="headline">Chinese e-commerce: Pity the parcel people</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21566679/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>9</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21566667-records-three-leaders-compared-paramountest-leader" class="headline">China鈥檚 economic performance: The paramountest leader</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21566667/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>3</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">Ireland</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21569049-irelands-success-attracting-foreign-investment-has-its-drawbacks-fitter-yet"> <div> <h2 class="headline">The Irish economy: Fitter yet fragile</h2> <p class="rubric"> Ireland鈥檚 success in attracting foreign investment has its drawbacks <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21569049/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>38</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21569034-why-irish-deserve-helping-hand-leave-their-bail-out-programme-dawn-west" class="headline">Ireland and the euro crisis: Dawn in the west</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21569034/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>169</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21567971-irelands-sixth-austerity-budget-light-end-tunnel" class="headline">Ireland鈥檚 budget: Light at the end of the tunnel</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21567971/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>2</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">Hedge funds</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21568741-hedge-funds-have-had-another-lousy-year-cap-disappointing-decade-going"> <div> <h2 class="headline">Going nowhere fast</h2> <p class="rubric"> Hedge funds have had another lousy year, to cap a disappointing decade <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21568741/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>37</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21568740-investors-have-paid-too-much-hedge-fund-expertise-better-focus-low-costs-star" class="headline">Leader: Investors have paid too much for hedge-fund expertise</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21568740/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>70</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/21567388-new-generation-investors-betting-americas-housing-market-big-long" class="headline">A new generation of investors is betting on America鈥檚 housing market (Nov 2012)</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21567388/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>67</span></a></div> </li> <li class=""><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21567136-regulators-are-not-done-investigating-how-sac-capital-makes-money-ever-sharper" class="headline">Regulators are not done investigating how SAC Capital makes money (Nov 2012)</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21567136/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>5</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21559662" class="headline">Why no hedge fund has made a killing out of the euro crisis (Jul 2012)</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21559662/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>10</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">Indian economics</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21568397-indias-love-affair-public-private-partnerships-faces-stern-test-rippp"> <div> <h2 class="headline">Infrastructure in India: RIPPP</h2> <p class="rubric"> India鈥檚 love affair with public-private partnerships faces a stern test <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21568397/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>37</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/business/21567983-best-and-brightest-work-their-socks-get-even-better-and-brighter-sleepless" class="headline">India鈥檚 top business school: Sleepless in Ahmedabad</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21567983/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>59</span></a></div> </li> <li class="even last"><div class=""> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21567946-central-bank-flinches-fight-against-high-prices-just-phase-i-was-going" class="headline">India鈥檚 battle with inflation: Just a phase I was going through</a> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/node/21567946/comments#comments" title="Comments" class="comment-icon"><span>6</span></a></div> </li> </ul> </section><section class="news-package typog-package"> <h1 class="fly-title">Microeconomics</h1> <article> <a href="/web/20130129061403/http://www.economist.com/news/21567079-meet-economists-who-are-making-markets-work-better-micro-stars-macro-effects"> <div> <h2 class="headline">Economics: Micro stars, macro effects</h2> <p class="rubric"> Meet the economists who are making markets work better <span data-ec-omniture="" data-href-redirect="/node/21567079/comments#comments" class="comment-icon"><span>59</span></span> </p> </div> </a> </article> <ul><li class="first"><div class=""> <a 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