Budget: In the lower Garden District, the friendly St. Charles Guest House, 1748 Prytania Street, (504) 523-6556, fax (504) 522-6340, is popular with backpackers, Europeans and people who don't mind a patchy, flea market decor.
"High funding costs and patchy access to markets will be key challenges for Spanish banks for some time, adding to the pressure on earnings from stricter impairment charges, higher capital requirements and a challenging operating environment," Fitch, the ratings agency, said in a note this week.
Peter Bolton-King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, said the market was patchy.
In Japan the market is patchy: spending on advertising in hot sectors, such as cars and financial services, makes up for the gloom elsewhere.
Its industries are dilapidated; roads, bridges and telephones are neglected; educational standards are patchy; and the home market is too small to attract many outsiders.Nonetheless, restoring outside confidence in the integrity of government would at least keep the aid coming.
It's also built out a very comprehensive logistics network in the country that also let people pay on delivery for goods they tried only when they were brought to their homes — crucial to its growth in a market with patchy incumbent delivery services and low credit card penetration.
But other evidence suggests similarly patchy progress on labour-market reforms in southern Europe.
After two cuts already this year, the RBA governor, Philip Lowe, said it would be best to hold rates steady on Tuesday, citing the patchy labour and housing markets.
Overseas markets were patchy.
Mr Glossop said the investment and residential land markets remained strong, although the occupational market was "more patchy".
