After the financial crisis, many of these markets became attractive to investors seeking higher returns in the face of paltry interest rates.
"In order to ensure attractive returns in the face of an uncertain and challenging economic and market environment, we continue to be proactive about seeking cost efficiencies across the bank," Mr. Dougan said.
And it was Valcke who admitted responsiblity for the dual World Cup race in the first place - the root cause of the chaos that followed - claiming he was keen to maximise commercial returns in the face of a looming recession.
What am I going to do with the other 60 years of my life?" The Goldman Sachs chief was also questioned about the future of the financial services industry, where companies are struggling to post higher returns in the face of new regulations and increased capital requirements.
There has been much debate lately about the concept of "decoupling," or the idea that international markets can deliver strong economic growth and robust equity returns in the face of a recession, or at least a very sharp slowdown in the U.S. In the short run, that may be wishful thinking.
If the Fed, the White House and Congress could get their economic acts together, growth would quickly return (even in the face of new terrorist outrages) and stocks would once again strike sourpusses like Alan Greenspan as "irrationally exuberant".
Although Fischer is still learning his way around the collection and his new staff – the chairman, Sir Richard Lambert, said he occasionally returned white in the face with shock from visits to basement stores, though Fischer insisted that was mere excitement – he said decisions would be made about displaying the collection.
Chairman Alain Belda Alain Belda said Alcoa generated strong returns even in the face of challenging economic conditions.
Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, has refused to release more than two years of his tax returns, even in the face of withering criticism from within his own party.
