In 2007,in a contest supervised by the World Bank, the joint venture 【outbid】 more than eight competitors hailing from the United States, Canada, Russia and Europe to win the Afghan government's contract.

A raging stock market made 2007 another 【bumper】 harvest year for hedge funds.

Europe is the world's growth 【laggard】 rather than its champion.

Thousands of Asian shoppers were to be found elbowing their way through the 【throng】 as keenly as the most bargain-savvy Brits.

The sentiment caused by a deteriorating eurozone crisis has 【prompted】 the demand for the government bonds issued by developed countries, such as the US.

Overseas investors are showing strong and increasing interest in holding Australian dollar-【denominated】 bonds.

BMW said its franchised 【outlets】 will notify customers of the recall through mail or phone calls.

The 【rollercoaster】 that the financial markets were facing during last week took its toll on the commodities markets as well.

The slowdown was mainly the result of 【sluggish】 economic recovery in the US, the European Union and other developed economies.

Cheng preferred not to set a minimum income limit, saying such a policy would be too 【rigid】 for low-income families which nevertheless have saved enough for a down payment.