International news | euronews, latest international news. The new economics foundation. Elmundo.es. L?der de informaci?n en espa?ol. ????????? - ??????? ??????. ???????, ?????????, ????????. The Independent | News | UK and Worldwide News | Newspaper. The year in business: 2010. 27 December 2010Last updated at 08:58 By Martin Webber Business Editor, BBC World Service Over 600 estates lie unfinished across Ireland, where land is among the most expensive land in Europe You have to go back four years to 2006, to find economic policymakers in the West in an upbeat, confident mood. Since then they have been battered by waves, ranging from collapsing banks to frozen financial markets, culminating in 2009 with the first drop in world annual output since the 1930s depression.
During 2010 there has been a return to overall global growth. But sceptics say the world's politicians are simply papering over the cracks, and the big fault lines in the global economy remain. Ghost towns Supporters of the banking status quo insist that the complex multi-purpose banks and their financial derivatives trading desks are necessary to ensure that cash is invested in the most productive places in the world. That particular argument wilts somewhat if you travel to Ireland. The blame game.