But analysts suggested that the underlying mood remained cautiously optimistic given the positive effect of recent earnings releases and signs that Asia was recovering faster than Western economies.
In a British study, sales teams used one of three headsets - left, right, both ears - for a day's selling of insurance by telephone. Those who wore the headset on their left ear outsold the others.
The other star performer among the big airlines has been US Airways, which reported an operating margin of 4.4% over the first nine months of this year, giving it the confidence to go for Delta.
Marius Kloppers, the boss of BHP Billiton, a huge mining firm presenting its results this week, argued that emerging markets were much more important to the firm's fortunes than rich ones were.
Ask me why you made a brilliant performance, the idea is very simple: I will not put things make it very successful, just draw a full stop, must want to leave a gap, let me go fill it subordinates.
You asked me why I would have achieved brilliant results, the reason is very simple: I will not do things well, just like a full stop, be sure to leave a gap, let my subordinates to fill it.